


Lost Shards

by rosamynal



Series: Cacoethes Scribendi [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amaurot (Final Fantasy XIV), Amaurotine Idiots, Angst, Ascians (Final Fantasy XIV), Blood and Injury, Character Development, Childhood Friends, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cute Kids, Dinner, Elidibus is a pianist, F/M, Fights, Fluff, Gen, Idiots in Love, Lahabrea's a cocky bastard, M/M, Masturbation, Mistletoe, Monster forms, Multi, Polyamory, Pre-Canon, Prompt Fic, Roommates, Secret Relationship, Sex Toys, Slice of Life, Soul Sex, Tempering (Final Fantasy XIV), Tentacles, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-04 00:31:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 67,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21188576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosamynal/pseuds/rosamynal
Summary: A collection of prompt-based stories occurring outside the direct continuity found in The Fourteenth and Shards. The stories here may take place at any time during the established narrative or even before! Some may even exist in another reality—it all depends on the prompt!Latest ChapterDeal- Hythlodaeus/Hades/Female OC (and a bit of Hythlodaeus/Nabriales)[In which a deal is made for the sake of love]Tags: Serious illness, Past relationships, Daeus is desperate





	1. Table of Contents

Welcome to the Table of Contents for Lost Shards!

This is a collection of prompt-based stories occurring _outside_ the direct continuity found in _The Fourteenth_ and _Shards_. The stories here may take place at any time during the established narrative or even before! Some may even exist in another reality—it all depends on the prompt!

If you would like to submit a prompt, just leave a comment at the end of a chapter with it! All prompts will be addressed in the order they are received.

**______________________________________________________________________________**

  1. **Table of Contents **

[In which you learn where to go.]

  1. **Ice (pre-Convocation Lahabrea & Male OC) **

[In which worth is proven in the eyes of a friend.]

-Rating: M for fighting & injury

-Tags: Blood & Injury, Fight, Lahabrea's a cocky bastard

3\. **The Pianist (Elidibus & Lahabrea)**

[In which a hardworking man takes a forced break.]

-Rating: G

-Tags: Friendship, Elidibus is a pianist

4\. **The Carbuncle (Hades & Hythlodaeus & Female OC)**

[In which friends part ways.]

-Rating: G

-Tags: Childhood Friends, Cute kids, Angst

5\. **The Waterfowl Concept (Hythlodaeus/Female OC/Hades)**

[In which mischief is caused.]

-Rating: T

-Tags: Lovers, Fluff, Soft

6\. **Secret Couples (Female OC/Hades/Hythlodaeus & Loghrif, Mitron)**

[In which dinner is had with coworkers.]

-Rating: G

-Tags: Secret Relationships, Dinner, Hades is jealous

7\. **Traitor. Coward. (Hythlodaeus)**

[In which plans are stolen.]

-Rating: M for mention of blood.

-Tags: Angst, Tempering, Infiltration

8\. **Remember (Hades/Female OC/Hythlodaeus)**

[In which the dead are remembered.]

-Rating: T

-Tags: Lovers, Wildlings, Soul watching

9.** Warm (Hythlodaeus/Hades/Female OC)**

[In which snow falls in Amaurot.]

-Rating: T

-Tags: Snow, Cuddling, Soft

10\. **The White Wolf** **(Female OC & Male OC)**

[In which a family is made.]

-Rating: M for mention of blood.

-Tags: Lost child, Adopted family, Lukos is protective

11\. **Mistletoe (Hades/Hythlodaeus) NSFW!**

[In which a legend is tested.]

-Rating: E for sex.

-Tags: M/M, Roommates, Aether play, Daeus has a plan

12\. **The Other (Female OC/Hades)**

[In which a secret is revealed.]

-Rating: T

-Tags: Monster form, Fluff, Hades is adorable

13\. **The Other pt II (Female OC/Hades/Hythlodaeus) NSFW!**

[In which another discovery is made.]

-Rating: E for sex.

-Tags: Polyamory (F/M/M), Masturbation, Feedback Loop, Tentacles, That poor wall though

14\. **The Campaign (Elidibus & Assorted Characters)**

[In which a hardworking man is once again forced to relax.]

-Rating: T

-Tags: Character Development, Childhood Friends, But seriously Elidibus try to chill now and then

15\. **Wardrobe (Hythlodaeus/Hades)**

[In which a bet is won.]

-Rating: T

-Tags: Fluff, Prank, Tropical Shirts

16\. **The Lottery (Hades/Female OC)**

[In which luck is tested.]

-Rating: T

-Tags: Fluff, World Building

17\. **The Library (Hades & Hythlodaeus & Female OC)**

[In which a friendship is born.]

-Rating: G

-Tags: Friendship, Children, Fluff

18\. **The Gift (Female OC/Hythlodaeus) NSFW!**

[In which a gift is given.]

-Rating: E for sex.

-Tags: Soul Sex, Sex Toy, Daeus always has a plan

19\. **AU - Hythlodaeus (Hythlodaeus/Female OC/Hades)**

[An alternate universe in which Hythlodaeus takes the first step.]

-Rating: T

-Tags: Alternate Universe, Flirting, Sandwich-prep ;)

20\. **Practice (Female OC/Hades/Hythlodaeus)**

[In which a new skill is picked up.]

-Rating: T

-Tags: Fluff, Supportive Husband & Lover, Dori is a _mood_.

21\. **Deal (Hythlodaeus/Hades/Female OC) [and a bit of Hythlodaeus/Nabriales]**

[In which a deal is made for the sake of love]

-Rating: T

-Tags: Serious Illness, Past Relationships, Daeus is desperate


	2. Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which worth is proven in the eyes of a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Antiloquist.

“Well? Are you going to ask her?”

The black-haired Wildling in front of him sighed into his wine glass. Dark blue eyes focused on him before darting down.

“I don’t know,” he replied quietly. “She’s a citydweller; I’m sure she’d rather have one of her own.”

The blond man sighed and leaned back into his seat. They were sitting in his apartment in the new capital of Amaurot. The pair had a standing agreement to meet once a week after work and drink wine together. Considering that even Aristotelis—tucked away as always in his research lab in the depths of the Akadaemia—had heard of the contested debate occurring in the Capitol that morning, he wasn’t surprised when Lukos appeared at the lab door with not one, but _two_ bottles of red wine.

“I thought the two of you were dating.”

Lukos raised an eyebrow at the statement, but remained silent. Aristotelis held his gaze in an attempt to decide whether the man was putting on a stone face or if he was sincerely confused by the concept. He settled on the latter.

“Oh come now, even Wildlings must have _something_ similar!”

Silence. The blond leaned forward to rest his elbows on the dining table and moved their wine glasses out of the way.

“Dating is when you go out with someone in whom you are _interested_.”

A blink followed by another quirked eyebrow.

“Interested in what way?”

Aristotelis curled his lip back in annoyance.

“Now you’re just being difficult.”

Lukos smirked and took a sip of wine. Aristotelis refilled his friend’s glass before emptying the bottle into his own.

“What I’m attempting to prove, you stubborn beast, is that Kore cannot prefer to be with someone else if she has spent the better part of the last two years dating _your _insufferable self.”

The other man’s expression softened at the observation. His lips curved into a gentle smile while his clawed fingers traced the glass stem. Aristotelis chuckled at the sight.

“Looks like she’s tamed you, Wildling.”

The claws froze.

“Admit it,” Aristotelis smirked. “You who cannot lie and are burdened with the truth.”

The resulting quiet growl soon faded into a rumble and then a sigh.

“I am… less inclined to hostilities after meeting her, yes,” Lukos admitted. “But you know the ways of my people, Aris. I must prove my worth to her family and she to mine before I ask her. The war claimed our respective families—”

“Meaning neither of you have to prove yourselves to anyone,” he interjected. “Live however—and _love _whomever—you want.”

“It’s not so simple and you know it. I am the Wildling representative. I cannot throw away one of our oldest traditions; my people would _turn_ on me. Tradition dictates that should one lose their family, then those next-closest to them become the judges.”

Aristotelis crossed his arms as he studied the man across the table.

“Let us say Kore agrees to this inane tradition. To whom would _she_ have to prove herself?”

Dark blue eyes locked on to him, freezing him in place with their intensity.

“Less insulting my traditions, researcher, lest I forget what little patience Kore and Elidibus have taught me,” he growled. “The Wildlings may not require that I prove myself to a citydweller, but they will demand that she prove herself in their eyes. You are the only citydweller I trust outside of Elidibus—and I very much doubt _he_ would fight her considering his role as an emissary.”

“Which means I must test her worth,” Aristotelis sighed. “Does Kore even know of this tradition? Have you explained it to her?”

Lukos nodded. The other man loosed another sigh before taking a drink.

“Well, I suppose I’ll have to, won’t I? I don’t know how long I would be able to stand looking at your sullen face if you weren’t able to bond with her.”

The Wildling tensed as a faint blush spread from his cheeks to his ears. His gaze darted off to the side and he took a deep gulp of wine. Aristotelis chuckled, glad his attempt at taking his friend’s mind off work succeeded for once.

The following afternoon found Aristotelis standing in the Akadaemia’s training hall with Lukos and Kore. The latter removed her red mask and lowered her hood, revealing her long, dark brown hair and dark green eyes. She glanced up at Aristotelis before focusing on Lukos.

“Does it have to be a fight?”

The Wildling nodded.

“As a people who recognize strength, a fight is the easiest way.”

“Don’t worry, Kore,” Aristotelis smiled. “I’ll go easy on you.”

Dark green eyes swept over to focus on him. A faint smirk twisted the shorter woman’s rose-colored lips.

“Wouldn’t that defeat the point, Aris?” she asked.

“It would,” Lukos interjected and carefully took her hand, “but he is right, my love; you aren’t accustomed to fighting.”

“You worry too much, my dearest wolf,” she smiled. “I would like to think I can hold my own against a researcher and debater.”

“And prodigy Creator,” Aristotelis added. “Recall that I was invited to the Akadaemia by Anyder himself.”

Kore rolled her eyes and brushed the sleeves of her robe. The garment vanished, revealing the loose top and pants she wore underneath.

“If you’re done _bragging_, Aris?” she asked and stepped towards the center of the training hall.

The blond man raised his eyebrows at the woman’s back. He glanced up to find Lukos watching his beloved with a soft smile. Aristotelis rolled his red eyes and followed the brunette.

_The things I do… _he grumbled inwardly.

His robes shifted into an armored coat and his white mask vanished as he took his place opposite the woman. Lukos called out from the sidelines.

“The fight will continue until one of you yields to the other. Any questions?”

They shook their heads.

“Then may the gods grant you strength.”

Kore began immediately. Her right arm swung forward, summoning a vine that burst out of the ground and whipped towards Aristotelis. He backed out of its reach and called forth a slender blade made of ice. The blond lunged forward to slash at the vine, catching it with the very tip of his weapon. Ice spread from the point of contact and raced down to the vine’s base. It froze the whipping tendril in place before it shattered a moment later.

He smirked at the brunette’s wide-eyed expression. She scowled and stomped her foot before he could taunt her. A vine swiped at his feet, reaching for his ankle while another grabbed at the wrist of his sword hand. Aristotelis struggled against their grip as a third whipped towards his head.

The man ducked out of the way. He touched a hand to the one binding his arm, shattering it into ice. His rapier stabbed downwards, piercing the one holding his foot so that it released him. A moment’s focus called forth a suit of armor that dashed towards the woman, its own rapier poised to stab her.

Kore danced out of the way, grazing his creation with the toe of her boot. Thorny vines appeared in its wake, digging into the metal and rending it to shreds as it covered the disembodied armor. Aristotelis lunged at her, but his blade struck a rock wall that sprang up in front of him. Growing frustrated, he summoned another suit of armor behind the wall while he withdrew his ice rapier and circled the barrier.

The woman dodged the armor’s attack, only to land directly in front of the man. He grabbed her arm before she could move away and pressed the tip of his blade against her neck. Her eyes narrowed as a victorious smirk twisted his lips.

“Yield, Listener.”

“After you, _scholar_,” she spat, pressing her hand against the rock wall.

It exploded, blinding him with dust and pelting him with sharp rocks. He released Kore in favor of shielding himself with a barrier of ice. She lashed out with her foot against the barrier; it cracked at the impact.

Thinking quickly, Aristotelis focused his aether into the environment itself. The training hall grew cold and a thin layer of ice formed on the ground. When Kore kicked at his barrier again, he forced it forward to intercept her blow. The woman cried out in surprise as it caught her leg and pushed her backwards making her slide away from the man on the ice.

He burst into laughter and sprinted after her, easily gliding atop the ice. Kore regained control of her momentum and skidded to a stop. The man slowed his approach and moved to skate a circle around her, dragging the tip of his blade along behind him. The woman turned to keep an eye on him. Aristotelis smirked as he completed the circle; ice crept towards Kore from the shape he had engraved in the floor. It covered her feet, rooting the struggling woman in place before continuing up her legs.

The blond stopped in front of the brunette, pointing his rapier to the center of her chest.

“Yield?” he asked as the ice reached her waist.

Her lips curled back in a defiant sneer. He sensed her aether permeate the layer of ice and settle into the ground. Aristotelis raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what the woman had planned as he prepared himself for an attack.

A crack echoed throughout the training hall. Moments later, a vine burst through the ice. It lashed towards him quicker than he could react. Pain flashed across the left side of his face followed by the sensation of blood trickling down from the gash that blinded him.

Another vine erupted out of the ground behind him and wrapped around his neck, forcing the blond to the ground. With his concentration broken, Kore freed herself from the ice and planted herself in front of Aristotelis. Her foot pressed into the center of his chest and vines wrapped around his wrists and ankles. She leaned forward with a glare.

“Yield.”

He gasped as the vine around his neck tightened.

“I-I yield,” he choked out.

The vines immediately retracted. Kore dropped to her knees beside him with a worried expression while Lukos ran towards them. A damp cloth appeared in her hand and the woman started cleaning his face, holding his head in place with a firm grip on his chin. Lukos silently watched and helped by keeping Aristotelis’ hands from interfering.

Once she had wiped away the blood, Kore traced her fingers from his nose, over his eye, and to his left temple. Warm aether settled into his face in the wake of her touch, knitting together the gash. He blinked once he felt the wound healed, but something felt _off_.

Kore frowned at him while Lukos’ brow furrowed.

“His eye,” the Wildling murmured. “It’s blinded.”

“I know,” Kore mumbled. “His body rejected my attempts to restore the sight. Do you want to try?”

Aristotelis held his breath and closed his eyes as his friend gingerly laid his hand over the injury. The Wildling’s cool aether flowed into him, but slid off the area around his eye. He opened his eyes to find Lukos frowning.

“It doesn’t take.”

The blond sat up and created a mirror in his hands. Sure enough, his reflection showed a fresh scar running from his nose to his left temple—and his pale left eye contrasted with the bright red of his right one.

“Let’s go to the medical ward,” Lukos said, standing up. “They should be able to restore it.”

“Leave it.”

Lukos and Kore stared at Aristotelis in surprise. The man smirked at the pair before focusing on the Wildling.

“Kore is one of the best healers in the city. If she can’t take care of this, then I doubt those in the medical ward can do any better. I’ll find a workaround, don’t worry.” He stood and clapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “For now, though, we have other matters we must attend—namely that your beloved has proven her worth and I will avow as much before any Wildling who asks. When will the ceremony take place so I can clear my schedule?”

The pair exchanged a look before Kore scowled and grabbed Aristotelis by the collar of his coat.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” she spat, dragging him towards the door. “We’re going to the medical ward and you’re getting a full examination.”

Aristotelis struggled against the woman and reached out to his friend, but Lukos shook his head and followed them.

“You said yourself she’s one of the best healers, Aris,” the Wildling said with the shadow of a smile. “Perhaps you should heed her advice.”

The blond ceased his struggles with a slump of his shoulders and a defeated sigh. The Wildling gently pat him on the back as they walked into the hallway behind the woman.


	3. The Pianist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a hardworking man takes a forced break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For ForcedRedacted.

Silence reigned in the Capitol that morning. Orpheus expected everyone to be late due to the previous day’s ceremony. From what he knew of the man, the new Emet-Selch in particular would likely sleep through the morning portion of the meeting and saunter into the building some time around the noon recess.

His footsteps echoed within the vacant lobby. The Emissary considered the stillness as he waited for the lift with his eyes closed and thoughts turned inwards. A soft chime signaled the lift’s arrival; notes flitted through his mind in an attempt to continue the proposed melody.

He stepped inside and pressed the button for his office floor, violet eyes lingering on the reflective gilt surface of the panel. Machinery hummed as the lift ascended. Once again, his mind picked out the mechanical rhythm and interspersed notes to create a tune. Orpheus shook his head to clear his thoughts when the lift came to a stop and the doors slid open.

The floor felt as empty as the lobby. He traced the familiar path to his office. A muted sound caught his attention; he paused around the corner from his door. Focusing his senses, he checked for the soul of whomever made the sound. A red soul striped with black sat where the Emissary approximated his desk to be.

Orpheus swallowed the annoyance that arose and entered his office. Aristotelis sat behind his desk, neatly sorting documents into folders that then went into stacks. The Speaker glanced at him when he entered and set aside the papers in his hand.

“What a surprise to find you here this early, Elidibus,” Aristotelis said flatly before checking the time via the clock on Orpheus’ desk. “It’s barely the sixth bell. What are you doing here?”

“Did you forget this is _my_ office, Lahabrea?” Orpheus countered. “I could ask the same of you. I thought you would either be sleeping or preparing a lecture.”

“My lectures for the semester are fully planned. I’m clearing out the week for you.”

Orpheus finally stepped into his office. Approaching the desk, he discovered that Aristotelis had grouped the others in the Convocation by threes and assigned each to a stack.

“Dare I ask why?”

The other man lifted a hand in response. A small burst of aether closed the office door behind Orpheus. Aristotelis stood from behind the desk and removed his mask, revealing two blond brows furrowed above his eyes—one bright red and the other, blind and pale. His mouth soon settled in a line to complete the concerned expression.

“A few of us were speaking last night after the ceremony and we came to a realization: when was the last time you took a vacation?”

Orpheus shrugged as he took off his own mask and set it on the desk.

“There is no need—”

“Perhaps not a need, but we agreed that you _deserve_ one,” Aristotelis interrupted. “We’re dividing your more impending tasks amongst ourselves so you may take the week off.”

“This really isn’t—”

“Are you about to say it isn’t necessary? I already told you—”

The rest of the Speaker’s words died in his throat as Orpheus fed his aether into the office, triggering a silence spell. Aristotelis’ mouth continued for a few seconds before he leveled a glare at the Emissary. He met the look with one of neutrality.

“I would think that a debater of your skill would have more etiquette than to interrupt a rebuttal, Aris,” said Orpheus, keeping his tone even. “As I was trying to say, a vacation is neither needed nor necessary. I would much rather stay and tend to my appointed work without having to worry about one of you mismanaging it.”

The spell lifted, allowing Aristotelis to respond while Orpheus investigated each folder.

“Such little faith in your fellows,” the man noted. “Society will not fall to anarchy in a week, Orpheus. We are simply concerned for your health. When was the last time you fully relaxed? When was the last time you let your mask fall and were simply Orpheus instead of Elidibus? When was the last time you played music?”

He froze in the process of turning a page. When _was_ the last time he had sat at his piano or written a new piece? The man thought back, but drew a blank. A triumphant smile crossed Aristotelis’ face.

“A week will not hurt you, my friend. It may even prove beneficial.”

“A week is too long,” he countered, setting the folder back in its stack. “Three days.”

“Five days.”

“Three and a half.”

“Four and a half and I won’t give this missive from Physis to Emet-Selch.”

Violet eyes narrowed into a glare.

“You _wouldn’t_. You know they despise all bearers of the title after what happened with the First.”

“I might,” Aristotelis smirked. “Are you willing to gamble?”

Orpheus considered the envelope held up by Aristotelis. It had taken him about six years to convince the distant city’s ruling body to even listen to him, despite his position on the Convocation. He inhaled and slowly released the breath in an attempt to maintain his calm.

“Four and a half,” he conceded. “Must it begin today?”

“Since you asked? Yes. Turn around and go home, Orpheus. I’ll let you know if anything comes up that requires your personal attention.”

He took up his mask and pressed it into place.

“I’m expecting a message from Achlys,” he said, turning to the door. “Inform me when it arrives so I can at least have that peace of mind.”

His hand pressed against the door, but it remained firmly shut. He sensed the other man’s aether coursing through the wood and holding it in place. Another deep breath as he turned on his heel to face his friend.

“Open the door, Aris.”

An enigmatic smile twisted the blond man’s lips.

“Orpheus may leave, but Elidibus must stay.”

Knowing there was no way to win an argument with the man, Orpheus sighed and tapped his mask. It shifted to the simple white one worn by the general public while his white robe darkened to black; the embroidery slithered off and vanished, leaving the cloth unadorned. He held his hands out before letting them fall to his sides.

“Are you happy now?”

Aristotelis smiled and nodded, flicking the fingers of his right hand up. The door behind Orpheus clicked open.

“I’ll see you in four and a half days, Orpheus. Enjoy yourself.”

He allowed himself something approaching a genuine smile as he glanced at the other man before leaving his office.

The city lay dormant in the early morning darkness. The disguised Emissary walked in silence; his home not far from the central district housing the Capitol. His footsteps maintained a steady cadence as they carried him from one pool of light to another, each resting at the base of a streetlamp.

Notes settled into the spaces between his steps in his mind. They seemed to continue the melody that had haunted him since his arrival at the Capitol that morning. Rather than banish them, Orpheus welcomed the wandering notes as he walked. They gained strength following his acknowledgement and kept him company on his way home.

The district in which he lived was one of the few dedicated residential ones and therefore contained options other than the towering structures found in the central district. Dawn tinged the horizon just as Orpheus approached the orderly row of townhomes. He mechanically unlocked the front door and went inside, dissipating his mask and robes the moment he closed the door.

The notes in his mind wavered, thrown by the sudden stillness of his home. Orpheus lived alone, having decided long ago that his chosen lifestyle and profession were ill-suited for partnerships. If he wasn’t away due to a concert, then he was visiting far cities as Emissary—regardless, he was rarely home.

Orpheus checked his reflection in the mirror beside the door. He ran a hand over his neatly combed short, black hair and loosened the black tie around his neck. The notes returned, this time drawing half a smile to his face with their whimsy. The man rolled the sleeves of his white button up shirt to his elbows as he climbed the stairs to the second floor.

On the banister, he came across a white snake which he greeted with an aetheric stroke. The creature, almost as long as he was tall, lifted its head in greeting. Orpheus offered his hand to it and watched it slither up his arm and lazily drape around his shoulders like a shawl. With his pet in tow, he continued into one of the sparsely furnished rooms on the floor.

An upright piano awaited him inside, a far simpler affair than the grand, black one he typically played in his concerts. Fingers lovingly ran over the lacquered wood before they tapped the cloth protecting the keys. It vanished as he sat down, hands naturally settling into position.

Violet eyes closed; he inhaled and exhaled. His aether fed into the room to soundproof it. The notes in his mind travelled to his hands, sending his fingers into motion. Orpheus _smiled_ and gave himself to the music.


	4. The Carbuncle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which friends part ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For smoremoose.

Eudora curled up as tightly as she could behind the flowering bush. The girl smiled to herself, certain that her friend wouldn’t find her this time due to being further away from base than usual. Just to be sure, she coiled up her soul and made it as small as possible while keeping her senses open in case the boy approached.

Footsteps calmly went by her hiding spot. Eudora tensed until they faded away. She peeked around the bush—only to nearly jump out of her robes when someone tapped her shoulder from behind. Stifled laughter filled the air as she spun around to glare at the boy covering his mouth. She smacked him in the arm, but he merely dropped his hands to clutch his sides and laugh harder.

“How did you even find me?” she huffed, crossing her arms. “I  _ know _ I lost you when I went off the trail.”

Hythlodaeus finally controlled his laughter. Holding his mask in place with one hand, he slipped the other one under it to wipe his eyes. Eudora kept glaring at him the entire time.

“You did,” he admitted before flashing her an innocent smile, “but I can see your soul from malms away.”

“You cheated!” she spat.

“If that’s what you want to call it, then you knew I would because you tried to hide it,” he replied, pointing to the center of her chest. “It’s still all balled up. Why not ask Hades for some advice when it comes to hiding your soul?”

Not wanting to admit he was right, Eudora reluctantly relaxed her hold on her soul. To her surprise, she caught the change in Hythlodaeus’ smile when he noticed her doing so. 

“Although, I wouldn’t want you to hide it,” he confessed. “You know what I think of it.”

Her face flushed at the reminder; she tried to hide it by turning around and walking back to the trail. Her friend’s light footsteps fell into line behind her.

“Speaking of Hades, do you think he’s figured it out yet?” she asked without turning around.

“Probably. Want to check in on him?”

When Eudora nodded, Hythlodaeus slipped his hand into hers. They exchanged smiles as they walked side by side back to the bench where Hades sat with a heavy tome in his lap. The boy glanced up as they approached and greeted them with a small wave. Eudora and Hythlodaeus sat on either side of him; the former looked at the page he had been reading while the latter spoke up.

“Well, brother, did you figure out how to recreate the concept? Or did you already refine the process from whatever the adults initially wrote down?”

“He’s probably made his own variation by now,” Eudora added with a grin. 

“A dozen, actually,” Hades smirked. “But I think I’ll only show you one of them, just to save time.”

They watched their friend close the book before holding up his right hand, palm facing outward. He closed his eyes and focused. Hythlodaeus’ mouth dropped slightly open as he followed something in the air. Eudora looked at the spot where his gaze settled. 

Something  _ shimmered _ in the air a fulm or two above the ground. A four-legged mammal appeared in a flash of light. It dropped to the ground, long ears bouncing with the movement while its three tails unfurled behind it. Light caught on the amethyst decorating the purple-furred creature’s forehead as it sniffed the air. It focused on Hades and, without further warning, hopped into the boy’s lap.

Hades laughed as his creation buried its face into his hands in search of affection. Eudora stared in awe while Hythlodaeus got its attention by running his hand down its back. 

“Amazing,” she whispered when the animal crawled into Hythlodaeus’ lap. “What’s it called, again?”

“A carbuncle,” Hades explained and tapped the open book. “It apparently draws strength from the stone in its forehead.”

“It matches your soul,” Hythlodaeus noted.

“And  _ your _ hair, dear brother,” Hades retorted. 

Eudora held her hands out to the creature. It glanced at Hades and waited for his nod before it clambered over his lap and curled up in hers, its tails draping down to touch the ground. She cooed and marveled at its soft fur as she ran her hands through it. Hades tilted his head as he leaned forward to get a better look at her face.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

She smiled and nodded.

“Could you teach me how to create one of my own?”

Hades agreed with a quick nod and stood up, motioning for her to do the same. The carbuncle moved to Hythlodaeus’ lap while Hades walked Eudora through the creation process.

“Focus on the image of the carbuncle in your mind,” he said softly. “Picture the way it moves, the way its ears and tail follow the body’s movements. Think of its fur and eyes and how its stone sparkles in the sunlight.”

She smiled and closed her eyes as her friend continued to describe the creation down to the tiniest detail. A small voice in the back of her mind mused how nice it would be to have Hades help her with her Creation studies. They were the same age, but he was so  _ talented _ at it. 

Eudora shook her head to refocus her thoughts. Her friend had once been very clear that maintaining focus was crucial. The girl held out both hands, palms facing upwards.

Aether gathered in her hands and she faintly heard a happy gasp from Hythlodaeus. Hades whispered some words of encouragement as Eudora concentrated on how she wanted the carbuncle to turn out. She opened her eyes to find the air shimmering above her hands. A flash of light happened and an aquamarine carbuncle dropped down into her arms. 

Hythlodaeus cheered while Eudora hugged her creation to her chest. The carbuncle rubbed its head against the underside of her chin as Hades smiled at her and reached out to pet the animal.

“Good job.”

Eudora smiled back at him, mildly surprised at the way something moved in her chest at his praise.

“It’s because you helped me,” she replied. 

A voice called out, interrupting Hades’ response.

“Hades! Hythlodaeus! It’s time for us to go.”

The other boy sighed from where he sat on the bench with Hades’ carbuncle.

“Caretaker Ian has the worst timing,” he muttered. 

“We can continue tomorrow,” Eudora assured him. 

Hades agreed with a nod as he picked up the tome from where he had left it on the bench. He pet the carbuncle and it dissipated into its constituent aether. 

“Do you want to meet here tomorrow?” he asked.

“Of course!” she grinned. “You need to show us the rest of your variations. Do you think your father will let you borrow the book again?”

“Hades probably already memorized the chapter,” Hythlodaeus noted. 

The other boy silently stammered as his twin chuckled and gently pushed him in the direction of their caretaker. Hades managed to get out some words resembling a goodbye.

“We’ll see you tomorrow, Dori,” Hythlodaeus said with a smile and waved his farewell. “Have a good night.”

She waved after them and headed home with her carbuncle via the other park exit.

As always, the apartment was empty when she arrived. Both of her parents were researchers at Akadaemia Anyder, which meant she spent the day alone; they had given up trying to find a caretaker willing to handle her. Eudora was under the impression that her parents didn’t care much what she did during the day, so long as her studies were finished by the time they arrived. 

She headed directly to her room and sat on her bed to read what her parents had assigned her that morning. The carbuncle curled up beside her; her hand idly fell to pet it while the other flipped pages.

Her parents arrived about a bell later. Eudora stepped out of her room to greet them as they removed their robes and masks. Her mother offered her a tired smile while her father bent down to kiss the top of her head and ask if she had finished her assignment. Upon responding positively, her mother rested a hand on her head to get her attention.

“Did you finish packing your room?”

Eudora felt as if ice water had been dumped over her. She stared up at her mother as her heart stopped dead.

“Wh-what?” she stammered. “Why would I pack?”

“We told you last week that we were leaving for Thalassa tomorrow,” her father explained. 

“But why would I pack my  _ room _ ?” she insisted. “It’s only a visit.”

“Eudora, I told you I was approved for a transfer to their research facility,” her mother said. “Weren’t you listening?”

Her eyes snapped from one parent to the other. Her mouth dried up and her tongue felt thick and useless, but she tried to form words regardless.

“But… but my friends…”

“What friends?” her father asked, glancing at her mother for an explanation.

“She’s mentioned them before, dear: Kronos’ son and Iapetos’ boy.”

“What?! You let her associate with  _ them _ ?” her father spat, disgust evident on his face.

“It’s not like I introduced them! I don’t know how she met them in the first place!” her mother retorted before addressing Eudora in a calmer voice. “Eudora, go to your room and pack. I’ll let you know once dinner is ready.”

Tears welled up in her eyes as her throat tightened into a knot. She returned to her room, sniffling and doing her best to wipe her face with the sleeves of the robes she still wore. The moment she crossed the threshold and closed the door, however, the girl collapsed to her knees, tears pouring down her face and nose stuffing up with muted emotions. She shifted her position to bury her face in her knees and block out the world around her.

A featherlight nudge against her leg seconds later made the girl lift her head. The carbuncle made a curious noise as it rubbed its face against her arm and made space for itself between her drawn up knees and her body. The animal folded its paws under itself and rested its face under her chin, gently lapping at the tears that collected there.

Eudora’s thoughts flashed to her friends, drawing fresh rivers of tears to her eyes. She hugged the animal close and cried.


	5. The Waterfowl Concept

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which mischief is caused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the [ J&T Discord. ](https://discord.gg/EdYa4x9)

“Dori, when was the last time you presented a concept to the Bureau?”

A distracted hum served as the only response to Hythlodaeus’ question. He sighed quietly and watched the woman sitting at the desk. Hades was on the other side of the city on business—addressing matters related to his transportation concept—and Eudora had taken advantage of his absence to request permission to search their records for some discarded concept on behalf of a citizen. 

Hythlodaeus had, of course, granted the request and shown his lover to the records room. Once there, he had asked that the clerk grant them privacy to address Convocation matters. Eudora then dove directly into the files, pulling them up on the console and systematically skimming through each one before dismissing it and moving on to the next. 

Realizing that she was entirely consumed with her search, the purple-haired man silently moved to stand behind her. He leaned over her and propped himself up with a hand on either side of the seated woman. 

No reaction as concepts continued to whiz by on the display. 

The corner of his mouth tilted up in a smirk. Hythlodaeus eased his way down, gently pulled back the edge of his lover’s hood, and pressed a kiss to the soft spot below her ear. Eudora gasped in surprise and jerked to the side, bumping into his arm. He chuckled under the glare he felt emanating from behind her mask; it deepened into laughter when he noticed the blush reach her ears and felt the warmth bleed into their bond.

“Sorry Dori, but you weren’t responding to anything else.”

Eudora flicked his arm and turned back to the display. Hythlodaeus glanced at the door to make sure no one would interrupt before hugging her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. He sent a curious thought through their bond as she relaxed and nuzzled her cheek against him. His hand lightly stroked her arm while she responded.

“I’m looking for a rejected concept. It was apparently stolen from the original conceiver and submitted, but rejected anyway. The originator would like it back to try and perfect it so they can resubmit it. Hades would probably say it’s ridiculous for me to do this myself,” she confessed, “but I figured I might as well do it since I was coming here anyway. And yes, I know this is something more suited to your Bureau, but they came to  _ me _ and I want to help them.”

He hummed in understanding. Taking care not to disturb Eudora, Hythlodaeus reached around her and typed a few commands into the console. A new screen popped up, eliciting a surprised sound from her. 

“Did they say when the concept was rejected?” he asked.

She gave a timeframe which he typed in. Not a moment later, a list of concepts populated on the screen. He gestured to them with an open hand before smiling at Eudora.

“It should be one of these,” he explained. “Transfer it to a cube and I’ll return it to the rightful conceiver with a letter of apology from the Bureau. It’ll save you the trouble of going back to the Capitol just to return here.”

Eudora smiled. Her mask vanished just long enough for her to pull Hythlodaeus in for a kiss on the lips. She whispered her thanks and skimmed through each filed concept. Upon reaching the fourth one, she tapped the display with a grin. The concept vanished and aether drew out of the console. It followed her finger to the storage cube she had summoned and disappeared within it. Eudora handed the cube over to him; he took it along with a gentle stroke on their connection that made her shiver. He smiled at the reaction and nudged her towards the door.

“Let’s go upstairs so I can write the letter.”

They took the lift up to the office and apartment. Once inside, Eudora dissipated their robes and masks before offering to make tea while he wrote the letter; he happily agreed. By the time he had signed the handwritten letter, Eudora called him to the kitchen for his cup. Hythlodaeus left the storage cube and folded letter in the reception area as he passed through into the apartment. 

Each one claimed an armchair while they drank their tea in the sitting room. Hythlodaeus smiled at Eudora, recalling the question he had asked in the records room.

“Would you be able to answer my question, now that you aren’t consumed by work?” he teased. 

His friend stuck her tongue out at him, but nodded.

“When was the last time you submitted a concept to the Bureau? I feel I would remember if you had done so here, so it must have been the Thalassian branch.”

Eudora’s gaze lowered to the cup in her hands as she considered his question. Hythlodaeus watched her gnaw her lower lip in thought before her eyebrows darted up her forehead.

“Oh!” she gasped and met his gaze. “It must have been a month or so before I applied to the Convocation. I worked on a few concepts afterwards, but dropped them when Elidibus contacted me.”

His heart lightened at the news and he smiled.

“Why not resume working on them? You could still submit a coastal concept here; I’ll make sure it gets to the right people for consideration.”

Her head tilted to one side. Hythlodaeus sensed Eudora weighing her options through their bond. A faint frown creased her face after a moment and she shook her head.

“I don’t know if it would be a good idea to keep working on coastal concepts if I’m not living there. Maybe I should adapt what I have done to something befitting an urban environment.” She sighed. “Although, I’ll probably have to scrap one or two of them.”

“That would be unfortunate. I’d hate to see your work go to waste,” Hythlodaeus murmured with a frown of his own. “Could I see what you have so far? Maybe I can help.”

Eudora hesitated. He sensed doubt flutter through their bond before she reined in her emotions. His frown morphed into a genuine scowl as a familiar feeling of resentment surged through him. He fought to keep the anger in check and his voice even.

“I know I cannot  _ create _ , Dori, but I work with concepts all day and have personally revised those drawn up by the  _ Architect _ , himself. I do know  _ something _ of them.”

Her silver eyes widened and she shook her head.

“N-no! That’s not why I—” she started before changing course, one hand idly fiddling with the hem of her skirt. “I’m sorry if it seemed that I thought you wouldn’t be able to help because of… you know.”

“My  _ incapability _ ,” he spat sourly.

Eudora set aside her tea and moved to sit in Hythlodaeus’ lap. Her arms threaded around him in a gentle hug as she pressed her forehead to his and closed her eyes. A soft sense of  _ apology _ came through their connection; her thumb gently traced his cheekbone.

“Yes, your incapability,” she whispered. “I’m sorry; that wasn’t what worried me. It’s because I’m not sure if the concepts I would discard are adaptable. Nothing to do with  _ you _ , sweet Daeus.”

He relaxed at the sincerity in her words and set aside his own tea to cradle her in his arms. Her hand lowered after a moment to absentmindedly toy with the collar of his pale blue shirt. Hythlodaeus carefully took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. The next one went to the corner of her mouth, sending a surge of emotion through their connection that made him chuckle.

“If you really wish to apologize, then why not let me see your concepts?” he hummed. 

He caught sight of the frown on her lips. In return, he offered a reassuring smile and softly kissed her, reinforcing the feeling via their link. 

_ I won’t judge, _ he explained.  _ Let me help. _

Eudora nodded—albeit reluctantly—and slipped out of his lap to return to her own seat. She leaned forward and swept a hand over the surface of the coffee table. Documents appeared, littering its surface. He smiled, going through each one in turn. He only spoke when she needed to hand him the ones out of his reach.

She had been right: most of the concepts could simply be changed to rely on freshwater rather than saltwater. Two, however, would prove more troublesome. Those he set aside while handing the rest back to Eudora.

“Double-check, but I assume these are the ones you said could be easily adapted.”

The woman leafed through, nodding as she looked at each one. Hythlodaeus offered the two he had held back. The documents in Eudora’s hands vanished before she accepted the remaining ones. She glanced at each one in turn before sighing and locking eyes with him.

“You were right,” she admitted. “These were the ones I was worried about.”

He hummed thoughtfully, considering what Eudora could do with the concepts. An idea came to him and he silently gasped. Motioning for her to follow him, Hythlodaeus led her back to the office where he leafed through a small stack of papers on his desk. He pulled one out and held it up so she could see it.

“This is a request from the industrial district,” he explained. “They would like a plant capable of filtering out toxic substances in water. Would you be able to tweak this to do that?”

He tapped one of her concepts for emphasis. Eudora raised an eyebrow as her silver eyes scanned the paper before refocusing on her concept. Hythlodaeus sensed her mind working.

“Could I have a day or two to work on it?”

A smile spread across his face at her words.

“I would not ask for anything sooner.”

The concept vanished, leaving only one. Hythlodaeus moved to stand behind her and look at it again over her shoulder.

“An avian concept,” he noted. “Semi-aquatic?”

Eudora nodded. Hythlodaeus curled a finger around his chin as he thought.

“It could help control fish and insect populations in the bodies of water found in the larger parks,” he murmured. “What temperament would it have?”

“I… hadn’t considered that,” she confessed. “An avian temperament?”

“And how exactly do you define that?” he countered with a smile. “Avian concepts have all sorts of temperaments; none of which really overlap. They can be docile or temperamental; tame or feral.”

She fell silent for a moment, eyes skimming over the concept in her hand. Her head twisted around to glance at him. Her gaze swept over his face before focusing on his eyes. An impishly amused feeling filtered through their bond.

“I think I know,” she smirked. “Fiercely protective of its own, but with a spark of mischief.”

Hythlodaeus chuckled softly.

“Sounds like it would be a handful. Would you like to make a prototype?”

Her smirk widened into a grin.

“I think I know precisely where to test it, too. Want to come see the results?”

A grin of his own spread across his face.

“Something tells me that I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world.”

Hades relaxed back on the grass with a sigh and closed his eyes. He pulled his hood further over his face to block out the light and folded his hands on his chest.

Things were coming along well with his transportation concept. Working off the portal spell he had devised, he had discovered a way to anchor aether currents to certain points within the city via crystals. So far, he had established what would be considered the main crystal near the Capitol and a smaller one on the other side of the city near the future location of the agricultural district. Using the expansion as an excuse to test the viability of the system on a larger scale—with himself as the test subject—was tiresome, but produced positive results. He would have to find someone else willing to test the system, just to be sure it would work on someone with lesser aetheric capabilities than himself.

First things first, however; a quick nap was in order before he traveled back to the central district. It  _ was _ getting late and it was Eudora’s turn to cook dinner. His lips curled into a smile as he wondered what she would make.

A quiet rustling pulled him back from the edge of sleep. He focused his senses on it, finding the offender’s aether to be in the shape of a bird with a long neck. Oddly enough, its color was obfuscated. 

Hades lazily opened an eye as the unfamiliar creature approached. The white-feathered bird froze when it sensed his attention. He remained still. The bird slowly crept forward until it stood by his foot. It cocked its head, seemingly studying his shoe as it poked out from the bottom of his robes. 

He twitched his foot. The bird let out a startled honk and flapped its wings. A sense of muted amusement slipped through the bond he shared with his lovers. He raised an eyebrow at the sensation. It shouldn’t be possible if they were still in the central district. 

The bird approached once more, more hesitantly than the first time. Before he could react, it snatched the hem of his robe in its beak and tugged. Hades swung a hand at it. The bird honked again and backed away, wings flapping in irritation. 

He took a deep breath, opening his vision to the aether in the world around him. His eyes fell on the bird as it waddled up to him for a third time. A spell concealed the color of the creature’s aether; he decided that would not do.

Hades murmured the words of a spell and directed it at the bird. It hissed in agitation—almost as if it knew what he was trying to do. His spell caught the creature in its grasp and pulled apart whatever was concealing the creature’s aether. Bright aquamarine spilled out from the gap and covered the bird’s form. He smirked triumphantly.

The animal lashed out, grabbing his shoe in its beak. His triumphant smirk dissolved into a surprised cry as he tried to shake the bird off his foot. He succeeded, only for it to grab the hem of his robe again. It had a better hold this time and resisted his attempts to break free from it as he stood and tugged in the opposite direction. 

Hades  _ just _ managed to tear his robe free without damaging it, when the accursed bird lunged again, this time grabbing his pant leg. He tried to kick free, but the animal flapped its wings and held fast, scattering white feathers as they struggled against each other.

The man bared his teeth in a frustrated snarl. He threw his aether into the creation and searched for the figurative keystone. Once he found it—deep within the heart of the animal and swirling with his wife’s aetheric signature—he snapped his fingers. The bird loosed one final, displeased honk as it dissolved into its constituent aether. 

A fit of laughter lanced through the connection he shared with his two lovers. He clenched his jaw to keep the feeling from taking over him as he followed the thread down a path and around a bend to find Hythlodaeus and Eudora on the floor, laughing in each other’s arms. Hades crossed his arms and did his best to scowl down at them. Hythlodaeus recovered first while Eudora held on to the front of his robes and tried to control her giggling.

“Ah, Hades. Is something the matter? Did you not like Dori’s prototype?”

“Is  _ that _ what that was?” Hades retorted.

“Indeed it was,” Hythlodaeus smiled. “I thought to help her salvage what she could of her coastal concepts.”

“Figures you would help her make a bothersome bird,” Hades scoffed.

His wife flicked her wrist. A sharp tug on their connection pulled Hades off balance so he fell into the waiting arms of his lovers. Eudora’s mask vanished so she could kiss his jaw.

“I may have put a little  _ too _ much mischief into that prototype,” she confessed, kissing further down his neck. “I’ll keep working on it.”

Hythlodaeus wrapped his arms around Hades’ waist and nuzzled his cheek against his shoulder.

“You were going to take a nap, weren’t you?” he murmured, stifling a sudden yawn. “Let’s take one together before we head back home.” 

Hades relaxed as Eudora nestled into his opposite side. She hugged his chest and tucked her chin over his shoulder. Her hand came up to tap his mask, changing it from his Convocation mask to the white one worn by the other citizens. The same mask appeared on her face as their robes lost the embroidery marking them as Convocation members. She let out a pleased hum and squeezed him in a brief hug. 

A smile found its way onto Hades’ face and he wormed his arms around the other two. He managed a snap, casting his invisibility spell over the three of them and closed his eyes for a nap.


	6. Secret Couples

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which dinner is had with coworkers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Ivalane.

The dinner invitation came as a surprise to Eudora—even more so to Hades. Her husband insisted she reject Mitron’s invitation, but Hythlodaeus argued the contrary.

“We don’t know why he wants to dine with  _ her _ ,” Hades snarled at the dinner table the night Eudora received the invitation.

A sense of jealousy and  _ possessiveness _ surged through their bond. Being more sensitive to Hades’ emotions than Eudora, Hythlodaeus involuntarily shuddered and clenched his fist before countering in a tense voice.

“Precisely; for all we know, his intentions are innocent. He told Dori that he would like to see what she does as Shachar. Maybe this is him following up.”

“Have either of you bothered asking the little one what  _ she _ wants to do?” Lukos asked, eyeing the twins as he sipped his wine.

Two sets of golden eyes focused on Eudora, one curious and the other furious. She hesitantly gave the pair a reassuring smile before looking down at the invitation beside her plate. Elegant, gold lettering informed her of Mitron’s wish that she join him for dinner the following night at a popular restaurant. Eudora tapped a line at the very bottom she had missed the first time.

“I can bring someone with me,” she said, glancing up at her lovers.

Hythlodaeus smirked at Hades, who glowered at his twin. Lukos rolled his eyes at the exchange and audibly sighed. Eudora spoke before her husband could snap.

“Hades, would you feel better if you came along? Although, you have to promise to behave.”

She felt reassurance ripple through the bond from Hythlodaeus’ end. Hades seemed to respond to it by reluctantly relaxing as he studied each of them in turn. After a moment, he scoffed and leaned back in his seat to cross his arms. The sense of possessiveness lessened, although part of his soul wrapped itself around her.

“Honestly, Dori, as if I would do anything to a colleague—and in a public venue, no less.”

“Does that mean you’ll go?” she smiled.

“Of course. I’m not about to let  _ him _ think you have no one to accompany you places.”

“Aren’t you worried that it would arouse suspicion?” Lukos asked. “Convocation members aren’t supposed to get involved.”

“What is so suspicious about accompanying a friend to dinner?”

The Wildling raised an eyebrow and nodded at Eudora.

“You have a stranglehold on her soul, boy. I certainly don’t do that to Lahabrea.”

“And if you did, I’m sure Igeyorhm would have one or two things to say,” Hades retorted. “Or are you going to tell me you haven’t noticed anything suspicious between  _ them _ ?”

“I do not pry into my friend’s private life,” Lukos growled, claws tightening their grip on the wine glass.

“Before this escalates, might I make a suggestion?” Hythlodaeus asked and motioned for the invitation. He skimmed over it before continuing. “Hades can accompany Dori, provided he at least  _ attempt _ to downplay his relationship with her—meaning no soul touching or communication. Meanwhile, I know the owners of this restaurant; they’re a lovely couple. I can ask them for a table near wherever they seat you so Lukos and I may be on hand to help.”

“What are you plotting, Daeus?” Hades scowled.

Hythlodaeus offered a disarming smile to his twin.

“I merely wish to help in case you begin to feel agitated. A calming presence would likely prove beneficial, don’t you think?”

“Why would Lukos go?”

“Extra security,” the Wildling offered.

“And it would be less suspicious than someone eating alone,” Hythlodaeus added. “However that does mean you would need to wear robes and a mask, Lukos.”

Lukos’ lips curled back in a snarl, but he reluctantly huffed out a sound of agreement. Eudora caught Hythlodaeus’ eye and mouthed a word of thanks. The purple-haired man smiled and winked at her as he stood and collected the empty plates. 

While the other man vanished into the kitchen, Eudora stroked the part of Hades’ soul coiled around hers. Her husband met her gaze and the look in his pale golden eyes softened.

_ Everything will be fine,  _ she assured him.  _ I’m sure Daeus is right and this is just Mitron checking in on me. _

_ Of course I’m right! _ Hythlodaeus interjected.  _ You’re worrying over nothing, Hades. I can assure you that Mitron isn’t interested in Dori in  _ ** _that_ ** _ way. _

Confusion flooded their bond, matching Hades’ raised eyebrow.

_ What do you mean? How would you know? _

A light chuckle came from the kitchen. Hythlodaeus poked his head through the doorway and smirked at his lovers.

“Let’s just say I’ve heard quite a few things and leave it at that.”

The following evening found Eudora and Hades standing outside the stained glass windows of a restaurant in the eastern residential district. She tapped the side of her mask, removing the part that covered her mouth, and smiled at her husband.

“Think Mitron’s already inside?” she asked, stepping aside so others could walk past them.

Hades turned his face towards the interior of the restaurant. He nodded after a moment.

“I can see his aether. Shall we?”

Eudora nodded. Hades opened the door for her with a smirk and let her walk in first. 

A woman greeted the pair and immediately recognized them by their Convocation masks. She asked them to follow her to a private booth in the back of the restaurant. Eudora sensed Hades tense as they approached the isolated booth. She glanced at him over her shoulder and smiled. He returned the gesture, but his annoyance at being unable to even hold her hand was evident via their connection. Eudora bit her tongue to keep from chuckling at him and stopped just before bumping into the woman, who had stopped beside the booth where Mitron sat. 

The older man greeted the pair and invited them to sit—if he was surprised to see Hades with her, then he made no show of it. The woman leaned over for a whispered exchange with Mitron, whose finger idly gestured to Hades, and left the trio alone.

“Allow me to thank you again for accepting my invitation, Shachar,” said the older man as Hades slid into the booth beside Eudora. 

“Thank you for extending it in the first place,” she replied, openly smiling at him. 

Mitron grew serious and turned his attention to Hades.

“I have to admit I didn’t expect to see you, Emet-Selch.”

Hades shrugged at the comment.

“You included a ‘plus one’ in your invitation. Being an old friend, Shachar asked me to come along.”

“That’s right; I remember Elidibus commenting on that,” he hummed. “How lucky the two of you were reunited.”

“Three, actually. I was friends with Hythlodaeus, too,” Eudora added. “But yes, we were lucky to be reunited—more so that we were able to pick up where we left off in our friendship.”

“Ah yes, Hythlodaeus. Isn’t he your Chief, Emet-Selch?”

Hades nodded.

“I remember when your predecessor was debating which one to take under their wing. They had a hard time coming to their decision—both of you had your merits.”

“Daeus would say the best man was chosen,” Hades noted.

“What do  _ you _ say?”

“It doesn’t matter. I took up the mask when it was offered.”

“But I recall the rumors saying  _ two _ offers had been made—one after the other.”

Anger flashed through the connection she shared with Hades before a man’s voice interrupted.

“Are you harassing our coworkers, Mitron? Do I need to report you to Halmarut?”

Eudora and Hades looked up to find Loghrif sliding himself into the booth beside Mitron. 

“I was simply asking questions.”

“I know how pointed those can get,  _ Chastiser _ ,” the dark-skinned man retorted. “Evening Shachar, Emet-Selch. Sorry I’m late; I got caught up in Bureau business. Have you already ordered?”

While Mitron replied that he had only ordered wine so far, Eudora sensed Hades study the men sitting across from them. A cat-like smirk twisted her husband’s lips as he relaxed into his seat. She almost sent a question through their bond before remembering Hythlodaeus’ warning. 

A server approached their table with a bottle of wine and four glasses. As the man poured red wine for each of them, he informed them of the day’s menu. Once they had ordered and the server left, Loghrif smiled at Eudora.

“So, Shachar, now that you’ve been in Amaurot for four years, what do you think? Do you miss the coast?”

“Now who’s harassing?” Mitron mumbled.

“My questions are far more innocent.”

“I’m glad to be back in Amaurot,” Eudora replied. “Like I was telling Mitron before you arrived, I’m happy to have reconnected with my old friends.”

“And do you enjoy your work?”

“I do. It’s nice to meet with the citizens and help them,” she said with a nod. 

“You are doing an excellent job. My old friend would be proud to have you as his successor,” Mitron observed. “Those on the coast must miss you.”

The praise lifted her spirits. 

Loghrif redirected the conversation towards more mundane topics: upcoming events within the city and time spent in other cities. As they spoke, a brief touch over their bond signaled that Hythlodaeus was nearby. Hades responded by flooding it with reassurance. Skepticism came back, causing Eudora to bite her lower lip to keep from snorting with laughter. 

Mitron tilted his head at what he took as her reaction to Loghrif’s story. She shook her head before he could question her.

“I just remembered something, that’s all.”

He nodded and dropped the matter as their meals arrived. Hades, who had been mostly silent throughout the conversation so far, finally stirred.

“I hadn’t noticed this before, but the two of you seem rather close,” he noted.

Loghrif momentarily froze while Mitron leveled his heavy gaze at the man.

“Did your friendship begin before or after joining the Convocation?” Hades asked, smirk once again firmly in place.

“Before. Rather like your situation with Shachar,” Loghrif answered with an easy smile. “We met during an internship in the Akadaemia. Our simultaneous tenure on the Convocation has only reinforced our friendship.”

“Wonderful, don’t you agree Shachar?” Hades drawled. “That friendships such as theirs and ours can bloom within the Capitol.”

“More so outside it. We don’t have much time for pleasantries during sessions,” Loghrif observed. 

A sense of calm that reminded her of Hythlodaeus saturated their connection. Hades’ smirk softened into a smile and some of the tension he typically carried seemed to slip off his shoulders. When he spoke, his voice had lost some of its bite.

“That  _ is _ true; I barely have time for a nap between debates these days.”

“And then you wonder why you don’t sleep a full night,” Eudora commented.

She realized how her words could be misconstrued the moment they left her mouth. From across the table, Eudora caught the slight change in the two men. Hades, however, chuckled and drank the rest of the wine in his glass.

“Thank you, dear Shachar, for taking Daeus’ role of my keeper in his absence. I’m sure he’ll be grateful you’re here to assure I’m behaving.”

Eudora raised an eyebrow beneath her mask and glanced at her husband. If she didn’t know any better, she would have guessed he had somehow switched places with his twin, considering the warm smile on the exposed part of his face and his tone of voice.

“Did the wine hit you all at once, Emet-Selch?” Loghrif asked.

“Seems it has. I think that will be my last glass.”

“Maybe you should have some water,” Mitron suggested.

Eudora reached over to his glass and tapped the side of it. Water instantly filled the wine glass, earning her a quiet word of thanks from Hades as he sipped it. The woman sensed a silent exchange happen between the two men seated across the table and saw Mitron finally relax. She stared at the two men, only for Loghrif to give her a knowing smile.

The conversation resumed as the server removed their empty plates and returned moments later with coffee and dessert. Eudora asked the men about their work at the Akadaemia. They insisted it hadn’t been very interesting—Mitron had joined the botanists while Loghrif worked with the geologists. They met and became friends during an interdepartmental party celebrating a long-forgotten occasion. 

In return, the men asked to learn how Eudora and Hades had met. The woman told them, despite her husband’s quiet protests; she silenced him by taking his hand and rubbing her thumb along his knuckles. Loghrif laughed at the story, playfully nudging Mitron until the man caved with a smile.

At the end of their meal, Mitron ignored Loghrif’s attempts to give him money and paid the entire check. The older man insisted they had to meet up outside of work again. Hades agreed, much to Eudora’s surprise. They waved their farewells to the other two as the four of them parted ways. 

Eudora and Hades turned a corner and found Hythlodaeus and Lukos waiting for them. The younger of the two beamed at them in greeting as they walked towards the train station to return to the central district. Hades slipped his hand into Eudora’s and addressed his twin after a few minutes.

“I can’t believe I had never noticed the bond between them. How did you know? Is it one of  _ your _ things or did your informants tell you?”

A mischievous grin spread across his twin’s face before he turned to Lukos.

“Could I have that document I gave you before we left the office, please?”

A folded paper appeared in her mentor’s hand, which Hythlodaeus gave over to Hades. Her husband opened it and read it while her lover explained.

“They were bonded before either joined the Convocation. Since there’s no requirement to divulge personal information like relationships upon joining, it’s never come up for them.”

“Alright, but how did  _ you _ know?” Hades insisted, dissipating the document.

Hythlodaeus hummed in amusement; it deepened into a chuckle when Hades’ impatient annoyance slipped into their bond. He held his hands up in a plea for patience while Eudora stifled her own laughter.

“Our paths may have crossed at a certain establishment where I saw them in…. what can be called a rather  _ compromising _ position,” Hythlodaeus explained.

A flushed feeling of embarrassment swept through the bond as the visible parts of Hades’ face turned a shade to match his mask. Possessiveness followed in its wake.

“And what were  _ you _ doing there?” he spat.

“Not telling,” came the response, accompanied by a smirk. “It was  _ decades _ ago, Hades; it doesn’t matter.”

“If it doesn’t matter, then why not tell me?” Hades retorted.

Hythlodaeus picked up the pace as the train station came into view. Hades followed suit, leaving Eudora to walk at a more leisurely step with Lukos. Her mentor shook his head—although a quiet chuckle rumbled within him.

“You certainly chose an interesting pair, little one,” he mused.

“I know,” she smiled. “Aren’t they wonderful?”


	7. Traitor. Coward.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which plans are stolen.

Boots pounded against the marbled floor. His breath came in ragged gasps. Communal mask and robe had been discarded long ago, to aid in his escape. Unfortunately for Hythlodaeus, the Speaker’s followers were just as quick on their feet.

He skidded to a stop upon arriving at a juncture and glanced down each hallway to orient himself. Behind him came the cries of his pursuers—taunting him. Luckily, few knew the Akadaemia as well as he did.

The purple-haired man pressed a hand to the wall and applied pressure to a flourish carved into the paneling. A section slid open; he darted inside and pushed it back into place. He concentrated and forced his soul down into nearly nothing, erecting a barrier to hide it from view. Hythlodaeus rested against the wall of the hidden passage, closed his eyes, and held his breath despite his lungs’ protestations.

Voices approached, threatening him with what they would do if they caught him—the traitor, the _coward_. Not even Emet-Selch would be able to protect him. They would drag him before their new god and make him _submit_ to His glory.

The Fanatics’_—_as those outside the cities had taken to calling them_—_voices grew distant. Hythlodaeus slowly released the breath contained in his burning lungs. He took a moment to catch his breath. A trembling hand slipped inside his coat, fingers searching for a hidden pocket.

_“No, little one. It’s far too dangerous for you to go.”_

_“No one else knows what the summoning plans look like!”_

_“I do. I’ve worked with enough concepts to recognize one for a summon.”_

_“It’s just as dangerous for you, little Seer. **I **will—”_

_“Stay here and protect Dori. I know where Hades keeps the Convocation concepts **and** the combination. I’ll have the easiest time infiltrating and stealing the documents.”_

Fingers wrapped around the scroll. Hythlodaeus breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing further against the wall and sliding down to ease the pain in his legs. Unbidden tears welled up in his pale, golden eyes. A sob died in his throat as he buried his face into his knees.

_His initial guess had proven wrong, much to his honest surprise. The safe tucked away in a hidden corner of his old office had been emptied of its contents. A strangely cold voice behind the man froze him to his core._

_“You cannot be here.”_

_Hythlodaeus slowly turned to find a man who looked like Hades, but something felt **wrong**. The man’s pale gold eyes glared furiously at him. His violet and red soul lashed at a cage formed by black tendrils that **pulsated** like a heartbeat. He caught a glimpse of the crystalized scar running through part of his twin’s soul ever since **they** had severed their connection with him._

_He stared, shocked by the sight. Hades’ jaw clenched; his soul flared in anger as the tendrils squeezed. Hythlodaeus whispered his twin’s name and took a step towards him. He froze when he saw blood seep out of the other man’s fisted hands._

_“Get out,” Hades hissed through his teeth. “Get out before He finds you. Before He makes me do something I will **regret**.”_

_The sigil of Emet-Selch blazed to life in front of his lover’s face. Hythlodaeus bolted past him, ignoring the feeling of bloodied hands grabbing at him, but unable to find purchase. He fled into the hallway and burst into the stairwell. Hythlodaeus hopped over the railing and dropped, catching himself on a railing two floors down before letting go and dropping two more stories. Hades shouted after him as he descended, demanding he return to him._

Exhaustion struck him all at once, but Hythlodaeus forced himself to his feet. He could rest once he had escaped Amaurot. Unbidden thoughts surfaced making him recall his more recent encounter with a member of the Convocation.

Lahabrea had caught Hythlodaeus red-handed in the professor’s office with the concept for summoning Zodiark shoved halfway into his coat. When the first plume set a bookshelf on fire, he noted in the back of his mind that it was strange the one-time ice specialist had changed elements. He had little time to ponder it, however, as Lahabrea’s underlings chased him through the halls of the Akadaemia.

The ground floor exits were guarded by the Fanatics. Hythlodaeus considered his options as he walked down the dimly lit passageway, wiping residual tears from his eyes.

An idea soon materialized in his mind. He slowed and started looking up at the ceiling. A hatch caught his eye. He gauged the distance and angle, then backed up. Dashing forward, he managed two steps up the wall before kicking off and grabbing onto the hatch. Anchoring himself with one hand on a pipe running alongside the hatch, he yanked it open and clambered up the ladder inside, until he reached the floor above and climbed out into another hidden passage.

Hythlodaeus carefully snuck his way through the Akadaemia, darting down hallways and ducking into secret passages whenever he heard Lahabrea’s lackeys approach. Eventually, he found himself in front of the main building’s roof access. He allowed himself a smile as he climbed the stairs and opened the door.

Two sets of hands seized him and flung him out onto the roof. He fell face first with a grunt as someone walked up behind him. A boot pinned him down, causing the scroll hidden in his coat to dig into his chest. He grit his teeth, but swallowed the cry that welled up in his throat.

“I must admit I was surprised to see you in the city, Hythlodaeus,” Lahabrea said, digging the heel of his boot into the fallen man’s back. “Especially considering how _vehemently_ you argued that the other incapable not be used in His summoning.”

“My opinion remains the same,” he growled. “You sold them hope with a _lie_.”

“They finally served a purpose,” the Speaker chuckled. “You should be happy for them. Do not fret, boy. Lord Zodiark has promised to return them to us. You will see your friends in time.”

“More lies. You’re all too blind to see it. Your creation will demand more and more; it will never be satiated.”

Lahabrea kicked him onto his back. A groan escaped him when the armored boot made contact with his ribs. Hythlodaeus awkwardly scrambled backwards before the Speaker could pin him down again. The man smirked and slowly closed the gap as his two lackeys fell into place behind him.

A closer look at his old professor’s soul revealed it to be similar to that of Hades: black tendrils choked the man’s once vibrant red and black soul. Where Hades’ soul seemed to fight against it, Lahabrea’s had surrendered.

“You have two choices, boy,” the Speaker warned. “Either you come willingly and tell us where the traitor Shachar is hiding, or we drag you before Lord Zodiark where He will tease the information from your very soul.”

Hythlodaeus struggled to his feet. A glance over his shoulder showed the edge of the roof not far from where he stood. Below that was the central plaza where students once milled about, killing time between lectures. But that was all before…

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Focusing his attention on Lahabrea, he discovered the man had halted his approach and now extended a clawed glove towards him.

“Do not think that I am unaware of what you _stole_, Hythlodaeus. And to think I once considered you the better student. Return the plans to me and you will be treated more kindly on the way to see Him.”

The purple-haired man slowly took a step back.

“And if I refuse?”

“Then you will know _pain_,” Lahabrea growled.

Hythlodaeus scoffed. The sound devolved into genuine laughter. He buckled over as the sound built into a crescendo that echoed off the surrounding buildings.

“Pain?!” he cried, flashing a mad grin at Lahabrea. “_You_ would show me pain? What can be worse than seeing my home destroyed by fire raining down from the heavens and raided by creatures from our very nightmares? What can be worse than being forced to _flee_ to save my own life which others had claimed to be forfeit in the name of their supposed savior? What can be worse than to find my own brother—_the man I loved more than anything—_turned against me, a shell of his former self? Pray, tell me what can be worse, oh illustrious Speaker!”

“You shall find out. Get him.”

Lahabrea’s lackeys approached, black masks gleaming in the sunlight. Hythlodaeus turned on his heel and bolted for the edge of the roof. The Speaker shouted a warning. His men sped after him. A foot hopped up to the small wall bordering the roof and pushed him into the void with his arms outstretched.

A snap of his fingers summoned borrowed aether from the crystal tucked into his pocket. Blue and green iridescent-feathered wings appeared on his back. They spread out to catch the wind and slow his descent. He softly landed in the plaza and turned to wave up at Lahabrea and his lackeys.

“You—more than anyone—should know better than to underestimate someone, _Aristotelis_,” he taunted.

Hythlodaeus sensed a shift in the aether above him. He ran as fire rained down on him. More Fanatics spilled out of the main building’s doors and charged towards him while Lahabrea shouted orders from the rooftop.

He took to the sky, weaving through the air to avoid the fireballs aimed at him. Five honed in on him, trapping the winged man. He braced for impact as he cursed his luck under his breath.

A violet barrier shimmered around him, absorbing the fireballs before vanishing. Instantly recognizing the aether comprising the spell, Hythlodaeus glanced around until his gaze found Hades. His twin stood on the balcony of Eudora’s abandoned apartment in front of the Akadaemia. His heart shattered as the white-haired man cried out and fell to one knee, hand clutching at his chest.

With tears in his eyes, Hythlodaeus turned his back on Hades and soared upwards, above even the tallest buildings in the city he once called home. He looked down on Amaurot once more before flying away from it.


	8. Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the dead are remembered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For The Rose Mistress.

“Little ones, would you like to attend a Wildling festival?”

Lukos’ question announced his arrival to the three lovers sitting below the tree. Hades glanced up from the book in his lap to find the broad-shouldered man approaching them. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eudora and Hythlodaeus look up from their joint concept. The former hopped up from her spot to greet Lukos with a hug. The white-haired Wildling hugged her close and kissed the top of her head before nodding at Hades and Hythlodaeus in greeting.

“Which festival is it?” she asked as Lukos led her back to where the men were sitting.

“The Remembrance Festival. It begins tomorrow night at the coastal settlement.”

She grinned while Hades exchanged a confused glance with his twin. The pure joy radiating from his wife, however, brought an unbidden smile to his face.

“Care to enlighten the city dwellers?” Hades asked. 

“It’s a festival to celebrate and recall the lives of those who have died,” Eudora explained. “It goes on for three nights. There’s dancing, storytelling and food.”

“And fireworks, little one,” Lukos added with a soft smile. “I recall you enjoying those most of all.”

Enthusiasm flooded the bond Hades shared with his lovers; Hythlodaeus grinned beside him, amplifying the emotion until their connection vibrated with it. Eudora bounced on the balls of her feet before replying to her mentor’s original invitation.

“Well  _ I _ would certainly like to go. Lucky us that Lahabrea requested the Convocation take a week’s recess so I won’t miss anything.” 

A question flitted through their bond before Eudora faced Hades and Hythlodaeus, silver eyes studying them inquisitively.

“I can guess that Daeus would like to attend,” she smirked before focusing on the white-haired twin. “What about you, Hades?”

He hesitated at the direct question. Hythlodaeus gently nudged him with his elbow.

_ Come on; it’ll be fun, _ he insisted through their connection.

_ Please, Hades? _ Eudora added.  _ Don’t you think it’ll be nice to get out of Amaurot for a bit? _

Untangling his emotions from those surging through their connection, Hades glanced down at the book in his lap and considered his response. He heard a soft murmur from his wife while Hythlodaeus gingerly floated a question through their bond. 

Hades snapped the book shut and heaved a dramatic sigh as it dissipated between his hands.

“I  _ suppose _ I’ll accompany the three of you. Someone else needs to help Lukos babysit the two of you and I can inspect the settlement’s defenses while I’m there to ensure they’re being upkept.”

Eudora beamed and walked over to drop into his lap. She lightly kissed him on the lips.

“You’ll like it,” she whispered and traced the edge of his jaw with a feather-light touch that made him shiver. “Don’t act as if you didn’t enjoy our stays with the Wildlings.” 

Gold met silver as he smiled in response, his arms idly wrapping around his wife to keep her in place. He nuzzled the crook of her neck while Hythlodaeus spoke up.

“If we don’t have to be there until tomorrow night, then we can take the train to the coast instead of using Hades’ portal. We could leave on the next train out and spend the night at Dori’s place in Thalassa.”

Hades glanced up in time to see the old Wildling tense at the mention of taking the train. 

“If that’s the case, I will meet the three of you in Thalassa,” Lukos said in a stiff voice. 

Eudora nodded and pressed a finger to Hades’ lips to keep him from asking the question that had occurred to him.

“We’ll see you there, then. Enjoy your flight.”

Shimmering aether surrounded the Wildling, obscuring him from sight. When it vanished, a white hawk stood in his place. The bird hopped over to Eudora’s lap, buffeting Hades in the face with its wing. It made a soft clicking sound and gently preened its beak through the blonde’s hair before flying away from the trio.

Hades took a deep breath and ignored the amusement radiating from Hythlodaeus. Instead, he reflected on Lukos’ reaction to his twin’s suggestion. Eudora nodded when she once again sensed the question via their connection.

“He doesn’t like enclosed spaces, such as trains or lifts. Apparently, something happened when he was young, but he’s never wanted to say anything more than that.”

His wife stood up and helped the two men to their feet.

“Let’s head back and pack what we need,” she smiled, wrapping an arm around Hythlodaeus’ waist. “It’ll only be four nights, but the two of you can’t go sharing your Wildling clothes the way you do your citywear.”

His twin smirked at the reminder. He brought a finger up to Eudora’s chin to tilt her head back while his other hand brought her closer. Thrown slightly off-balance by the sudden movement, her hands flashed up to Hythlodaeus’ chest. Amusement flickered through their bond from the purple-haired man as his thumb lightly stroked her chin.

“Will you make us something new to wear?” he asked. 

Eudora cleared her throat and tore her gaze away from Hythlodaeus’ mischievous smile. Her hands wandered up his chest to his shoulders before slowly sliding back down.

“I do suppose your regular clothes are getting tight on you after all your training,” she murmured. “Any requests?”

Hades chuckled and wrapped his arms around her from behind, bringing his chest flush against her back.

“I would still appreciate a shirt,” he whispered into her ear. 

“But  _ I _ still appreciate your chest, my jealous husband,” she chuckled and turned in his arms to face him, forcing Hythlodaeus to drop his hands to her waist.

The emotions flooding his wife caused Hades’ breath to hitch. His hands came up to rest on either side of her neck. Hades’ fingers toyed with the gemstones hanging from her earrings—a pearl to match the earring in his left ear and an amethyst to match the earring in Hythlodaeus’ right.

He pulled her in for a kiss, but a slight pressure against the center of his chest made him cut it short. He glanced down with a sigh to find her hand firmly pressed against him.

“You’d rather wait until Thalassa,” he noted.

His wife nodded, despite her flushed face. Hades looked up in time to catch the disappointed look in his other lover’s pale eyes. He snatched the front of Hythlodaeus’ robes and pulled him in for a rough kiss, pinning Eudora between them. 

“Well then, let’s get to packing,” he announced as a violet portal appeared only to swallow them up.

Hades woke, in what he presumed to be, the following morning thanks to the angled sunlight peeking around the drawn curtain and the smell of something cooking in the kitchen. He took a deep breath and rolled onto his back, only to have a pair of strong arms pull him into a well-defined chest. The white-haired man smiled and tucked his head beneath Hythlodaeus’ chin, breathing in his lover’s warm scent.

The trio had arrived on the last train into Thalassa the night before. Despite stolen naps on the train and the gondola ride into the city over the ocean, they crashed into Eudora’s bed the moment they staggered through the door. Even following Hades’ adjustments to the bed, it was much smaller than the one they shared in Amaurot—but the three lovers made do. 

One of Hythlodaeus’ hands softly brushed through Hades’ white hair, drawing a contented hum from the dozing man.

_ I’m glad you let Dori convince you to grow out your hair. _

He acknowledged his lover’s thought with another soft hum as a wave of joy came from the direction of Eudora. Hades felt Hythlodaeus pick out a strand of long hair to twirl in his fingers.

_ It’s a shame you can’t affect the color anymore. Then again, the white suits you in its own way. _

_ Are you calling me “old”, Daeus? _

_ No, I’m calling you “unnatural”. _

Hades opened his eyes and propped himself up on an elbow to glare at the other man.

“You have  _ purple _ hair,” he observed. “Pray, tell me what is so natural about  _ that _ ?”

Hythlodaeus smirked, mirroring the other man’s position.

“My natural hair color isn’t the strangest thing about us. Or have you forgotten that we look nothing like our respective parents yet look identical to each other?”

“Except for the hair,” Hades added. “And our aetheric capabilities.”

“All while, as was repeatedly confirmed in our youth, not being genetically related?”

“Don’t forget that our medical records are under such high security that not even  _ I _ can access them as a member of the Convocation,” Hades muttered, lowering himself to lie on his back. “Yes, we’re both completely natural.”

“If it makes the two of you feel better, I think you’re both completely natural pains.”

Hades lifted his head just enough to see Eudora leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed. 

“Would that make you a masochist considering you love us, dearest Dori?” Hythlodaeus asked. 

The blonde smirked and slowly let her arms fall to her sides.

“Maybe,” she admitted quietly. “Come on; breakfast is ready and Lukos is here. He showed up with a pomegranate so I made those lemon and pomegranate pancakes the two of you like so much.”

She waited until the pair nodded before vanishing from the doorway. Hades sat up while Hythlodaeus swung his legs over the side of the bed and stretched. He studied the other man’s back and admired the muscles as they flexed and relaxed. A curious thought passed through his mind as aether instinctively gathered within his fingertips. Hythlodaeus froze before partially turning to frown at him.

“Why would you change yourself?” he asked.

Hades furrowed his brows and frowned while the aether dissipated. A retort came to him, but stopped short when Hythlodaeus crawled towards him on the bed, trapping him against the wall the bed had been pushed to. 

“I like you the way you are,” Hythlodaeus whispered, caressing Hades’ face. “I know Dori does too. So, please, don’t think that way.”

He leaned into the gentle touch; eyes involuntarily slipping shut. A nod followed by a nuzzle into the other man’s lightly calloused hand. His lover responded with a breathy laugh and a soft kiss before leaving the bed. 

Eyes eased open in time to watch Hythlodaeus button the front of his pale green shirt. His gaze lingered on the fabric as it tightly hugged his arms. Hades mused that either he or Eudora  _ would _ have to get him slightly bigger clothes considering how he had gained muscle following Lukos’ training.

Once done, the man held out the white shirt Hades had worn the day before.

“Let’s go before Dori sends Lukos in to drag us out.”

Reluctantly, Hades dragged himself to the edge of the bed and slipped his arms through the shirtsleeves. He buttoned it as he followed Hythlodaeus into the main room.

The smell of coffee and pancakes permeated the air. His wife greeted the pair with a kiss to each one’s lips and a warm cup of their preferred drink. Lukos nodded at them before indicating the set dining table with another inclination of his head. 

They sat to eat their meal, Eudora between her lovers and Lukos across from her. She excitedly told Hades and Hythlodaeus about the new clothes she had designed for them before Lukos mentioned leaving soon after they had finished eating. The three of them agreed as their conversation drifted into chatter.

The sun was close to the horizon when the four of them approached the Wildling settlement. The tantalizing scent of roasted fish and the aromas of various spices wafted towards the travelers. A few people called out to them in greeting as they entered the settlement proper. Lukos continued towards the Elder’s tent to inform the woman they had arrived and to see if he could be of any help. Before the remaining three could move, five children rushed up, calling Hythlodaeus’ name.

“Uncle Daeus! Uncle Daeus is back! Tell us more stories, Uncle Daeus!”

He laughed and swept the youngest one up into his arms while the others tugged on the sleeves of his emerald coat. Light from the braziers glinted off the scales covering his coat, revealing their sapphire iridescence. The little girl in his arms ran her fingers through the glossy, black feathers covering his shoulders and down his shoulder blades. 

“I’ve barely set foot in here and I’m already being  _ accosted _ by you lot,” he grinned before crouching down to their level. “Now, remember our deal? Tell Uncle Daeus the truth: have all of you been behaving since I left?”

The four in front of him nodded. He glanced at the little one resting her head against his feathered shoulder to see her nod as well. One pale eye narrowed in mock suspicion as he straightened up. 

Hades caught Eudora smirking at the sight just before she leaned into him. His arm came to rest around her waist while Hythlodaeus continued addressing the children.

“Is that so? If I ask your parents, all of them will say you have been good children who stay within the settlement’s borders?”

“Yes, Uncle Daeus,” came the chorus. 

His gaze swept over the children once again as a soft hum rose in his throat. After a moment, he nodded and turned towards their homes.

“Well then, let’s go see. If you  _ have _ been good children, I’ll tell you a story just before the festival starts.”

The children cheered and hurried after him. Hades watched them leave with a faint smile. His wife lightly nudged him with her hip.

“Do you think we’ll ever have the chance for something like that?” she whispered.

Hades raised an eyebrow and smirked at her.

“Don’t you think five is a little much for one couple? I mean, sure we would have Daeus and Lukos to help but—”

A smack in the arm from Eudora cut off the rest of his sarcastic reply. His smirk warmed into a smile as he kissed her temple.

“Who’s to say? We submitted an application like everyone else. All we have to do is wait and see if our number is drawn in the lottery.”

His wife turned to face him. A finger traced the white bones that adorned his violet coat and mimicked the pattern on his Convocation robes. It then moved to trail down his left arm, following the vibrant red pattern embroidered along the sleeve. A suspiciously innocent smile spread across her face when her other hand wandered up to toy with the dark grey fur around the coat’s collar.

“We  _ were _ bound by a Wildling ceremony,” she reminded him coyly. “We could do…  _ other _ things by their rules.”

Eudora fully leaned into him as her hands slipped under his coat and around his torso to run up and down his spine. His instinctive reaction nearly forced a deep, longing  _ “yes” _ through his teeth, but Hades pursed his lips and shook his head. He took a deep breath and considered the consequences to strengthen his resolve.

“I would not have our child be an outlaw in their own city—especially if it’s our own fault. We can wait, Dori.”

A sense of reluctant agreement seeped through their bond, echoing the soft frown on his wife’s face. Before her hands could slip out from beneath his coat, Hades pressed one of his hands to the small of her back to keep her in place. His other held her head still as he kissed her forehead.

“Do not take that to mean, however,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her lips, “that I do not intend to  _ have _ you tonight. It simply means that no child should come from it.”

A smile finally found its way back to Eudora’s face as she resumed running her fingers along his spine. He kissed a trail down to her neck, capping it off with a sharp nip at the flesh there. She gasped and dug her fingers into his back.

A muffled cough from behind made Hades tense. He turned around to find Lukos patiently waiting. The white-haired Wildling smiled at the couple as they disentangled themselves—although Hades kept his arm around his wife’s waist.

“Wh-what did the Elder say?” Eudora asked, fanning her flushed face. 

“She thanks the three of you for coming. The fireworks will begin once night has properly fallen. Food will soon be served to the settlement; they’re merely waiting for the sun to set. You may enjoy yourselves in the meantime. If you need me, I’ll be lending a hand with preparing the fireworks.”

Eudora nodded and waved goodbye to her mentor as he turned and walked away. Aether obscured them from view just as Hades dug the tips of his fingers into the blonde’s hip and pivoted her, bringing his wife flush against his groin. She gasped as he ground himself against her, drawing a moan out of her that he stifled with his lips. Hades grinned and rested his forehead against Eudora’s while she reached up to hug his neck.

His control slipped when he closed his eyes, permitting more of his  _ other _ self to bleed into his current form. Gold claws sprouted from the tips of his fingers while his skin took on a greyer shade and he felt his canines lengthen into fangs. He gained two ilms in height and forced himself to regain control before he grew any taller. 

Hades leaned over so Eudora could comfortably keep her arms around his neck. She met him halfway, popping up on the tips of her toes to kiss him deeply. He chuckled into her mouth while his hand rubbed the base of her spine, making her wriggle against him.

“What do you say we kill some time?” he asked, his voice deeper and rougher than before.

Eudora grinned in response, hands moving to entwine themselves in his long, white hair. Her soul pushed against the borders of his until he let it bleed into him, granting Hades full access to all of her thoughts and emotions. What he felt set his nerves alight—her words only served to further fuel his fire.

“Only if you take your time and put those other arms of yours to good use,” she purred. “I’m sure either Lukos or Daeus will save us some food.”

Hades grinned back and snapped his fingers, summoning a portal to take them to their home in the settlement.

The feeling of gentle kisses across his bare chest brought Hades out of his light doze. They stopped when he stirred and opened his eyes to find Eudora watching him with a soft smile. He returned the expression before caressing her cheek with the backs of his fingers. She leaned into his touch and caught his hand to kiss the palm. A warm feeling flooded their bond which he reciprocated.

“And I love  _ you _ , my dearest,” he whispered.

A ripple of pleased contentment came through the connection from her end. Eudora rested her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. He nuzzled the top of her head and took a deep breath, smiling at the light scent of her hair. Her aquamarine soul wound itself around his; the contact comforted him.

A knock echoed through their home. Eudora laughed, muffling the sound by burying her face in Hades’ chest. 

“I don’t even have to look. It’s Lukos, isn’t it?”

“Of course it is. Daeus would have just burst into the house.”

She giggled into him, eroding his will to leave the comfort of their bed. Hades took a deep breath and slid out from under her, telling her to stay through their bond. He adjusted himself and buttoned up his pants as he walked through their home to answer the front door. 

The white-haired Wildling was waiting patiently with a platter of food balanced in one hand. He greeted Hades with a nod as the younger man stepped aside. Lukos headed directly to the dining area and set the platter down on the table. 

“Hythlodaeus is still buried under a pile of children, but said it would be safe for me to bring the two of you something to eat,” Lukos explained. 

“He was right!” Eudora interjected, hurrying into the room before Hades could say anything and kissed her mentor on the cheek. “Thank you, Lukos. Will the fireworks start soon?”

“Half of a bell, I would wager.”

“Wonderful! More than enough time to eat.”

A plate appeared in her hand onto which she served a portion of roast fish, flatbread, and salad. She handed it over to Hades. He immediately offered it to the Wildling, who was about to turn and leave.

“Stay. Eat with us. We can go back to the central fire and get more if this isn’t enough.”

Lukos raised an eyebrow at the proffered plate and locked eyes with Hades. Confusion radiated from Eudora, but was quickly cut short by happiness and appreciation. The Wildling’s dark blue eyes darted to the blonde before focusing back on the plate. He accepted it with a nod and took a seat at the table. 

When Hades turned to take another plate from Eudora, she pulled him down and lightly kissed him on the lips.

“Thank you,” she whispered. 

“You’re most welcome, dearest,” he replied with a soft smile before sitting down.

As the men waited for Eudora to take her place, Lukos caught Hades’ eye. The older man lifted one of his clawed hands off the table and wiggled his fingers. The black claws vanished, leaving his hand strangely  _ normal _ before they reappeared. His dark blue eyes moved down to pointedly look at Hades’ hands before staring directly at his face.

Hades suddenly noticed that he was eye to eye with the tall Wildling—even while sitting. He glanced down at his hands only to find them still adorned with golden claws. A quick check with his tongue informed him he still had fangs. At least his skin was its normal color.

He closed his eyes in concentration and focused on tightening his control over his appearance. He felt himself drop down to his normal height while his claws and fangs receded. When he reopened his eyes, Lukos subtly nodded before turning his attention to Eudora, who was staring at Hades with her mouth slightly agape.

“I hadn’t even realized,” she started softly, but Hades shook his head.

“You weren’t the only one. At least we aren’t in Amaurot,” he added with a smirk.

Amusement rippled through her soul as she laughed at the thought.

“Could you imagine showing up to a session like that?”

“It would make it harder to find a comfortable position to nap in, I can assure you.”

He smiled as her laughter rang out again. 

They quickly ate their meal and left to join the Wildlings gathering in the center of the settlement.

Hythlodaeus waved to them from where he sat at the edge of the crowd. They joined him, with Eudora sitting between her lovers, and waited for the official start of the festival. Soon, the Elder climbed onto a platform in the middle of the assembled Wildlings. The murmurings of the crowd died down the moment she held up her hands.

“Cherished friends. Tonight marks the beginning of our Remembrance festival. In the days to come, I hope that we each do our best to honor the memories of those we have lost. Let us tell their stories, eat their food, and bear what was once theirs so they may live on in us.”

Cheers of agreement echoed throughout the crowd. 

“Let us dance! Let us make noise! Let us scare away whatever evil lurks in the unseen shadows so our loved ones may visit us in peace!”

Music filled the air as the people began to dance. Sharp snaps and pops punctuated the melody as fireworks were lit and allowed to writhe along the ground while releasing multi-hued sparks. The children of the settlement made a game of it, running and hopping over the fireworks as they went off, adding their squeals of delight to the festivities.

Eudora pulled Hythlodaeus towards herself before leaning into Hades’ shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and caressed the other man’s soul with his own as the three lovers watched the Wildlings dance and sing to the music. 

After a few minutes, when grey smoke began to creep along the ground from the spent fireworks, Hythlodaeus let out a quiet gasp of wonder. Hades and Eudora looked to find him glancing around at the ground around them, a growing smile on his face. Before Hades could question him, he caught a faint glimmer through the smoke. A moment’s focus sharpened his vision.

Wisps of color were seeping up through the ground and whirling with the smoke. When they reached the clear air above the smoke, their hues strengthened and their forms coalesced into orbs that drifted through the crowd. 

Hades blatantly stared at the colors that swayed with the dancers as if they were also taking part in the festivities. 

“What is it? What are the two of you looking at?” Eudora whispered.

“Souls,” Hythlodaeus murmured with an awed grin. “We’re looking at souls.”

“Disembodied ones,” Hades explained as he watched a pale green soul drift towards Lukos and settle on his shoulder. “Souls that have escaped from the Underworld.”

The Wildling almost seemed to react to the soul’s presence, but disregarded it with a shake of his head.

“The reason we hold the Remembrance festival at this time of the year is due to the proximity of the two worlds. It makes it easier for the dead to visit us,” he explained before confessing. “I wasn’t aware the two of you could see them.”

The two men nodded.

“We’ve had the ability since we were children. Daeus’ sight is keener than mine,” Hades added, earning a roll of his twin’s eyes.

Three children ran over while calling out to Eudora and Hythlodaeus. They begged the pair to play with them. When they tried to protest, Hades waved them away and insisted they go enjoy themselves. The little ones cheered at him while his lovers cast him suspicious looks, but followed the children.

The soul that had settled on Lukos’ shoulder hesitantly floated towards Hades. It circled around him as if inspecting him before returning to its resting spot and nuzzling against Lukos’ neck. Melancholy swept over Hades at the sight as he recalled Hythlodaeus’ story.

“What was her name?” he asked softly.

Lukos cocked his head in a silent question. The soul on his shoulder sparkled with quiet laughter.

“Daeus told me about your wife. What was her true name? If you don’t mind speaking it, that is.”

The white-haired Wildling took a deep breath which he slowly released. The soul flickered and—for the briefest of moments—Hades saw the outline of a woman caress Lukos’ face and kiss his cheek.

“Her name was Kore.”

“Lovely,” Hades noted.

Lukos silently nodded.

A scoff reached their ears followed by a taunting voice.

“Trust the two of  _ you _ to make a festival this morose. You truly are two peas in a pod.”

Hades tensed, instantly recognizing the man’s voice. A look over his shoulder revealed a blond man wearing black pants, boots, and a tunic similar to the one worn by Lukos, but crimson with white embroidery that reminded Hades of Convocation robes. A sole, bright red eye studied the sitting men; the left one was covered by a black eyepatch. 

Although the face was unknown to Hades, he knew the man’s confident smirk. The man’s title left his mouth before he could stop it.

“Lahabrea?”

“We are out of the cities and barefaced and it has been some time since I was your professor,  _ Hades _ ,” the man countered. “Call me either ‘Aristotelis’ or ‘Aris’.”

He offered one of the three bottles of wine in his hands to Hades and another to Lukos before sitting on the other side of the Wildling. He uncorked the remaining bottle and tapped it against the one held by Lukos.

Hades blinked, still stunned by the Speaker’s sudden appearance. However, he soon found his tongue.

“Is  _ this  _ why you called for a week’s recess?” he hissed.

“Possibly.”

“Isn’t that a gross misuse of power?” Lukos muttered.

“A fine thanks I get for providing the two of you wine from my  _ own _ stock,” the blond griped. “Next time, I’ll have you wallow in misery— _ sober _ .”

“You know perfectly well a single bottle won’t affect me, Aris.”

Lahabrea chuckled.

“And  _ you _ know I start with the best wine and work my way down.” He lowered his voice and leaned close to Lukos. “I know how you get around this time of the year. I’m not about to leave you alone, old friend.”

A soft smile crossed Lukos’ face as he finally uncorked his wine bottle and tapped it against the other two. The soul perched on the Wildling’s shoulder sparkled before fluttering over to Lahabrea’s shoulder. It happily bobbed around him, rubbing against his arm like an affectionate cat before returning to Lukos. 

Hades idly opened his own bottle and took a sip before addressing the man.

“Lukos,” he called softly. “Did you ever see Kore’s soul?”

A distant look entered the man’s dark blue eyes, while Lahabrea lowered his gaze to the ground between his feet.

“Wasn’t it pale green?” the Speaker murmured.

“Yes. Like budding shoots in the spring.”

Hades nodded in understanding. On a whim, held his hand out to the soul. It floated down to hover over his palm. He brought it closer and cupped both hands around the orb. A warm feeling radiated from the soul’s core as an idea seemed to suddenly appear in his mind. 

“Is this  _ your _ idea?” he asked the soul.

It bounced in response. 

He sighed and moved his hands, allowing the soul return to its place on Lukos’ shoulder. Hades held out his bottle to the Wildling.

“Hold my wine,” he said before getting to his feet and approached the platform in the center of the crowd.

He drew on his power as he walked, allowing only parts of it to manifest in the form of his crystal staff and the metal crown floating over his head. Upon reaching the platform, he focused on the aether beneath his feet. 

It lifted the Architect up and deposited him on the platform, in plain view of everyone. The gathered Wildlings had stopped to watch him—even the souls present among them seemed to be focused on him.

Hades smirked as his staff idly hovered around him. In the back, where the children had been playing, he saw Eudora and Hythlodaeus watching him with rapt attention. Curiosity radiated from the former while the latter emitted pure, unadulterated  _ glee _ . Hythlodaeus  _ had _ always enjoyed watching him work.

He bowed to the people and concentrated on the spell he had formed in his mind. Aether gathered within the white-haired Architect. He raised his right hand and his staff mimicked the motion, floating up into the air above him. Holding the spell in his mind, Hades brought his middle finger and thumb together and  _ snapped _ .

Gasps rose from the crowd; their gazes suddenly focused on the floating orbs in their midst. The souls, in turn, reacted by shooting towards their loved ones, bobbing around them or caressing them in any attempt to communicate with the living.

Goal achieved, his staff and crown vanished as Hades hopped down from the platform. The Elder caught his eye from where she stood at the foot of the platform with a gold and teal soul hovering close to her chest and an orange and pale yellow soul floating in her palm.

“Thank you, Architect, for lending us your sight. It’s been quite some time since we had someone with your gift in the settlement. We shall add this to the stories we will tell in your memory—should you ever die.”

He flashed the woman a smirk and informed her the spell should last until the end of the festival before ducking into the crowd. Eudora and Hythlodaeus intercepted him on his way back to Lukos and Lahabrea. His lovers each snuck a kiss to one of his cheeks while their souls embraced his.

_ Amazing work, _ Hythlodaeus praised.

_ You just had to show off, didn’t you? _ Eudora noted, but her soul beamed with laughter.

Upon reaching the older men, they found the pair communicating with the pale green soul in Lukos’ hands. Hades’ lovers tensed when they noticed Lahabrea. The Speaker greeted them with a smirk.

“Lahabrea?” Eudora asked, eyes locked on his face.

The blond man sighed and took a sip from his bottle while Lukos chuckled; the soul sparkled along with the sound.

“He says to call him ‘Aris’,” the Wildling explained. 

Hythlodaeus crouched in front of Lukos, studying the soul in the white-haired man’s hands.

“Is this her?” he asked softly. “Oh, Lukos; she’s  _ lovely _ .”

Hades’ brow furrowed as he sensed an exchange happen between his purple-haired twin and the soul. Hythlodaeus glanced up at him before smiling at the orb.

“You’re not  _ completely _ wrong. We’re practically twins, but we had different parents.”

The soul floated up, rounding each of them in turn before landing on Hades’ shoulder. He felt its attention drift back to the crowd of Wildlings before another warm feeling radiated through him. Hades smiled at the soul and watched it return to Lukos. He took up his bottle as they sat with the older men. 

“Why don’t you tell us about her?” Eudora asked her mentor while she leaned against Hades’ arm. 

The Wildling glanced down at his wife’s soul. 

“Would that be alright with you?”

Its colors flickered once and it moved up to his shoulder. Lukos smiled.

“Very well, my little ones. Listen to the story of my beloved—a woman as strong and proud as the trees of her beloved forest.”


	9. Warm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which snow falls in Amaurot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Antiloquist.

_ Whhp-thunk-clatter.  _ Adjust.

The snow had been falling for a few days now.

_ Whhp-thunk-clatter.  _ Adjust.

It piled up on the sidewalks, forcing citizens to clear the way with their aether.

_ Whhp-thunk-clatter.  _ New piece of wood.

Or at least those who  _ could _ . The other residents of his building had to get more hands-on.

_ Whhp-thunk-clatter.  _ Adjust.

Lukos warned the cold scent in the air meant the snow had no plans on stopping.

_ Whhp-thunk-clatter.  _ Adjust.

That was precisely why he had returned to the building that morning instead of staying in bed with his lovers.

Hythlodaeus paused to count the split logs in front of him. The purple-haired man had been at it for long enough that sweat was pouring down his back and beginning to seep through his shirt and insulated robes. His breath left his mouth in tiny clouds that vanished in the chilled air. He set the axe aside to stack up the logs by the courtyard door for the residents to fetch when they returned that afternoon. 

A sharp squeak made him look up in time to see an Amaurotine woman lean out of her window. Her long, copper red hair tumbled down in its braid as she spoke.

“Is that you, Daeus? Would you mind bringing up some of that wood for me, once you’re done? My knees have been acting up ever since this snow started and it’s rather difficult to get downstairs.”

He beamed up at the woman and waved.

“Don’t worry, Letty; I’ll be right up.”

Hythlodaeus gathered some of the logs in his arms and made his way up the familiar stairs to the older woman’s floor. The door was already open for him by the time he arrived. She greeted him as he entered her home and set the logs near the cold fireplace. Without bothering to ask, he placed a few inside it and lit them with a match. 

“You really are a darling thing, Daeus,” the woman said as he stood and dusted off his robes. “It’s a shame the Architect has been keeping you so busy lately that you aren’t even able to come home.”

A smile spread across his face. The redhead poked him square in the chest. He bent down out of habit so she could kiss his cheek.

“We’ve all missed you, you know,” she confessed. “You _ and _ that smile of yours. I’ll have to lodge a complaint with Emet-Selch. He’s keeping our sunshine from us.”

“You’ll do no such thing, Letty,” Hythlodaeus chuckled.

The woman cocked an eyebrow while her pale blue eyes glimmered mischievously behind her white mask.

“Or is there something else keeping you from returning to your apartment, youngling? Have you found yourself a bed to warm these past few months?”

He felt his smile change as he thought back to the lovers he had left in Hades’ apartment. Warmth flooded his chest. The older woman smiled at him; she gently took his hand and pat it.

“I thought so,” she said in a soft voice. “I’d bet you’ve even gone and bonded, haven’t you? To think the two of you went and eloped! Didn’t even tell your family here that you found your soulmate. Don’t try to deny it, boy, I can tell from the way your smile melted at the mention of your beloved. I was like that once, too, with my husband.”

He stroked her hand with a smile.

“Then I won’t deny it, my dearest gossipmonger. Yes, I found someone, but we haven’t bonded. I wouldn’t  _ dream _ of going through a ceremony that important without telling any of you. Like you said, you lot are practically my family.”

“You better not,” she laughed, prodding him in the chest again. “Issy wouldn’t let you hear the end of it —and you know very well he wouldn’t be the only one!”

Hythlodaeus burst into laughter at her declaration.

“The entire building would riot! I’d have to move to the other side of this star just to find peace!”

A fond smile graced the older woman’s face.

“No, we certainly can’t have that,” she murmured. “You’ll have to bring your beloved by some time, Daeus, so all of us can meet them. Why not bring them to the building dinner we’re having next week? I’ll even try to make that bread pudding you enjoy so much.”

He bought time with a smile as he reflected on Hades’ and Eudora’s schedules for the following week.

“That sounds lovely; I’ll see what I can do, dear Letty. Is there anything else you need from me before I go to work?” he asked, glancing around the cozy apartment. 

He paused when his eyes landed on one of her potted plants. 

“I can tell from here that one needs a good pruning. Your hands must be bothering you again, right?” he asked, smiling down at her. “I’ll ask Morph to stop by after his shift at the restaurant. He’ll take care of it for you. I’ll see if he’s willing to bring you some dinner so you don’t have to worry about cooking. And don’t even  _ think _ of making bread pudding next week if your hands are still aching. I won’t have you suffer just for my sake.”

“You truly are a  _ blessing _ , Daeus,” the older woman smiled. She reached up to adjust his mask and pressed it into place against his face. “Go on. Have a good day at work. And don’t stay away for so long this time.”

The plea tugged at his heartstrings. Hythlodaeus leaned over to kiss the redheaded Amaurotine on the cheek before promising he would make an effort to stop by more often, beginning with the following week’s dinner. 

Snow crunched beneath Hythlodaeus’ boots as he walked back to the Bureau of the Architect and Hades’ apartment. Each step shook stray flurries of it off his shoulders and hood. Each step made him thankful that Eudora had made his new robes impermeable and insulated. Each step brought him closer to his lovers. He smiled beneath his mask, imagining the pair exactly as he had left them—Hades tucked against Eudora, curled up in her arms. He sped up his pace, eager to get home.

The attendants greeted the bureau chief and one came up to help as he stopped just inside the entrance to brush off any remaining snow. He asked the attendant if the Architect had left the Bureau. Apparently, he had yet to be seen. Hythlodaeus announced he would go upstairs to check on his old friend and bade them all a good morning. 

On the lift ride up to Hades’ apartment, Hythlodaeus lowered his hood and shook out his long hair. Between the effort spent walking to his building, splitting enough logs for the residents, and walking back, he honestly just wanted a long soak in a warm bath. He checked the time on his watch. Maybe he could slip one in before he woke the pair of sleepers. The Convocation wasn’t meeting until that afternoon, after all.

Hythlodaeus unlocked the door to the office and apartment only to be greeted by three sharp beeps repeating in a sequence. A dark eyebrow arched over one of his pale gold eyes as he entered the apartment side of the floor. While he fully expected Hades to sleep through even the destruction of the star, he had thought Eudora a lighter sleeper.

He approached the communication device set into the wall and placed the personal receiver in his ear with practiced ease. He accepted the call with a quick press of the button beside the flashing light, hoping it wasn’t an emergency that required the esteemed Emet-Selch.

“Good morning. You have reached Emet-Selch’s personal residence. Hythlodaeus speaking.”

The even-toned voice of the Emissary responded.

“Ah! Good morning to  _ you _ , Hythlodaeus. Is Emet-Selch available?”

“I believe he is still asleep, Elidibus, but I have only just arrived. I could go into his bedroom and check, if you wish.”

“Probably best if you don’t. Once he does wake, simply inform him the meeting this afternoon has been postponed due to the weather forecast. I feel it would be best if everyone remained in their homes during the upcoming storm.”

“I thank you on his behalf, Elidibus, and will tell him when he wakes. I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear he can simply go back to sleep.”

The Emissary’s soft chuckle tickled Hythlodaeus’ ear.

“He undoubtedly will be. I have one more favor to ask of you. Shachar has been unresponsive all morning and with Lahabrea out of the city, I do not know how to contact Lukos to find her. Would you be willing to inform her of the change in plans?”

“You may leave it to me,” he responded with a glance at the partially open bedroom door.

“Then have a good day, Hythlodaeus. I hope you get home before the storm settles in.”

“Same to you, Elidibus.”

The call ended with a low beep. He replaced the receiver and removed his robes and mask on the way to the bedroom. 

_ I’ll duck in to check on them and then take my bath _ , he planned. 

A peek into the room confirmed his suspicions. The curtains had been drawn back over the windows after he had left, meaning one of the two sleepers had shut them. Thick, dark red blankets enveloped his lovers, but he could see the two had changed places in his absence. Eudora held one of the pillows in her arms while Hades hugged her from behind, his nose buried in her long, blond hair. 

Hythlodaeus draped his robes over the back of an armchair in the corner. As he carefully placed his mask on top, a groggy moan drifted over from the bed along with the sound of shifting fabric. He glanced over to find Eudora stirring in Hades’ arms and clutching the pillow to her chest. She buried her head into the plush cloth before peeking out with one eye.

He smiled at her. She lifted her head enough to prop her chin on the pillow and offer a sleepy smile in return. Hades moved in his sleep, tightening his hold on her waist and drew her closer to his chest. 

“I thought I heard someone call?” she asked, voice still thick with sleep.

He responded with a nod and crossed over to Eudora’s side of the bed. She smiled and craned her neck up, meeting him halfway so he could gently kiss her.

“Elidibus called,” he whispered. “Apparently he’s been trying to reach you.”

Eudora gasped and nearly bolted out of the bed. Hythlodaeus caught her in his arms, falling onto the mattress with her. Hades reluctantly opened his eyes to glare at them. The purple-haired man smiled before kissing the white-haired man on the lips and settling Eudora between them.

“It’s fine,” he assured the blonde. “He called to tell Hades that this afternoon’s meeting has been postponed and asked if I could pass the message on to you since you weren’t answering his calls. He knows about my network of connections, so likely thinks I can easily track you down.”

Seemingly reassured by his words, Eudora relaxed in his hold. She yawned and nuzzled his shoulder as she hugged him. Hades moved closer to where Hythlodaeus had fallen in the bed with their lover. With a lazy snap of his fingers, the heavy blanket vanished only to reappear over them. He adjusted his hold on Eudora so Hades could hug her as well. His white-haired lover extended his aether to wrap around Hythlodaeus in an ephemeral embrace. For a moment, the sensation reminded him of the second pair of arms Hades had in his other form.

Hades opened his eyes to watch Hythlodaeus over Eudora’s head. He sensed the question come through their bond.

_ You’re sure it’s canceled? _

_ Elidibus was rather clear. It means you can go back to sleep. _

_ What will  _ ** _you_ ** _ do? _ Eudora asked, glancing up at him from his shoulder.

_ I should check the forecast myself and determine when we should close the Bureau. If it’s bad enough for Elidibus to postpone a meeting, then I don’t want our workers to get caught in it. _

** _Should_ ** _ , you say _ , Hades smirked. 

Lethargy suddenly overwhelmed Hythlodaeus. A yawn slipped unbidden from his mouth before he could bury it in Eudora’s shoulder. He barely managed to furrow his brows at Hades.

_ Yes. I should. _

When he tried to push back against the feeling flooding his senses, contentment seeped into his limbs. His eyelids grew heavy and he struggled to keep them open as an aetheric hand carefully stroked his cheek.

_ Stay with us, Daeus,  _ Hades quietly pleaded.  _ Just one more bell. I’ll even set a timer. _

A clock appeared on the wall at his lover’s words. Hythlodaeus twisted his head to get a better look and confirm that it was counting down from sixty minutes. The invisible hand gently raked the tips of its claws through his dark hair. His limbs grew heavier, worsened by the work he had done earlier. His eyes drifted closed and a deep sigh ruffled a few strands of Eudora’s hair.

A notion entered his mind and slipped into their bond. Hades smirked. A sharp snap later and the scent of burning wood filled the room, punctuated by the pops and cracks of burning logs. Hythlodaeus relaxed with a smile as a question floated towards him.

_ Is that what you wanted? _ Hades purred.

“It is,” he murmured into Eudora’s hair. 

He pulled the drowsy woman onto him, getting a surprised squeak out of her. Once he had secured her to his chest with one arm, he shuffled closer to Hades. He slid his remaining arm under and around Hades, hugging him close. Eudora pushed herself up far enough to allow Hades the chance to hug Hythlodaeus. She moved over and lay in the dip between the two men. A warm feeling preceded the sensation of his twin’s aether surrounding them. He smirked and opened one eye to faintly glimpse the large outline of Hades’  _ other _ arms. He chuckled at the realization that he was trapped. 

_ Neither of you want me to leave, do you? _ Hythlodaeus asked.

_ No, _ Hades replied plainly. A lingering feeling of greed and possession tinged the response. 

_ You’re too comfortable,  _ Eudora replied as she hugged both of them, tangling her legs with theirs.

_ One bell, then, _ Hythlodaeus conceded.  _ And then the three of us get up. _

Eudora rumbled on top of him with a chuckle. Acquiescence flitted through from her side of their connection. Hades, on the other hand, tightened his hold on Hythlodaeus and buried his face into his muscular shoulder. A distinct feeling of  _ ‘Mine’ _ darted through his part of the bond. He nudged the leaner man and kissed him.

_ Yes. Yours and Dori’s. No one else’s. _

Hades finally relaxed. Hythlodaeus felt a smile cross his lover’s face as he drifted off to sleep.


	10. The White Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a family is made.

Tears stung the corners of Eudora’s eyes, but the blonde girl refused to let them fall. Her breath came in stifled gasps as she tried to stay as quiet as possible for fear of alerting the monster hunting her. She hadn’t gotten a good look at it; all she could recall was teeth and eyes and limbs darting out of the dark cave to snatch at her. Eudora clenched her eyes shut as if to block out the memory. Tears slipped down her cheeks and she hurriedly brushed the scratchy sleeves of her sweater across her face—bare since her mask had fallen off in that monster’s cave.

Why had she strayed so far from the research camp? Why didn’t she listen? Why did her parents have to drag her out of Amaurot and away from her friends?! All she wanted was to go home!

A noise in the darkness froze Eudora in place. The monster approached her hiding spot behind the shrub. The girl bolted away. A screech accompanied by a cacophony of thundering steps chased after her. She ran blindly, too afraid of the thing behind her to do anything else.

The shrubland thinned out, giving way to grassy dunes lit by moonlight. Eudora stumbled on the slippery sand and tumbled down the short slope. She landed face down at the base of a dune, too exhausted to do anything more than finally let her tears fall. The girl curled up on herself, burying her face in her arms and cursing her inability to create anything useful without—

The monster screeched behind her. A snarl rang out only to be cut short by a higher-pitched screech. A pained yelp made her realize the noises were getting further away.

Eudora hesitantly sat up and scrambled up the dune to see what was happening. From her new vantage point, she saw a giant, white wolf dragging the long, insectoid monster into the shrubland. The former had bitten into one of the latter’s middle segments, but the monster had torn a gash into the wolf’s side with its many clawed legs. 

The canine huffed as the insect tried to wriggle free. It released the monster only to snatch at another segment, closer to the monster’s end. The wolf planted its feet on the more steady grass of the shrubland. With a snarl, it shook its head from side to side with enough force to make the entire thing shake.

To Eudora’s surprise, the wolf suddenly turned and flung the monster back into the dark shrubland. The wolf’s tail wagged lazily as the sound of snapping trees and branches marked the trajectory until it ended in a faint crash. The animal huffed once before turning to face Eudora. 

The girl squeaked in surprise as the canine limped towards her, making itself as low to the ground as possible. It stopped a few fulms from her and lay down; its head on the ground with its ears perked. It sniffed curiously in her direction, but otherwise remained still. 

Eudora stared in wonder at the giant wolf while it stared back with its dark blue eyes. While she had seen wolves when her friends’ caretaker had taken the three of them to the zoo, she hadn’t seen any with fur as white as this one; it almost reminded her of fresh snow. Those wolves _ definitely _ weren’t as big, though. This thing looked like it could eat her in one bite. 

Carefully, the blonde girl stood up and dusted the sand off her clothes. She kept an eye on the wolf—in case it was hungry—but the animal simply watched her. Once satisfied that she had gotten the majority of the sand out of her clothes, she politely curtsied to the creature.

“Thank you for saving me.”

The wolf lifted its head. Its tail wagged slightly from where it had tucked against the animal’s side. She smiled, noting the warmth in its blue eyes. Something about them told her she could trust it.

The blood matting its fur caught her eye. Her smile flipped into a frown.

“I’m sorry you got hurt because of me.”

The wolf let out a soft whine and lowered its head. Eudora tilted her own to the side as she considered its wound. The cut didn’t look _ too _ deep, but she wouldn’t be able to tell unless…

“Will you let me help you?” she asked, only realizing after the words had left her that she was speaking to a wolf. 

But then it huffed and rolled onto its uninjured side. She stared in shock until the wolf lifted its head to whine at her. Could it actually understand her? Eudora shook her head at the impossible thought and approached its side. 

The very tip of her tongue stuck out of her mouth as she focused on her creation magic. After a few seconds, aether formed into a bucket with a rag inside. One hand pulled out the rough cloth while the other drew a symbol on the bottom of the bucket. Cool, water-aspected aether filled the container up to the brim. It overflowed when she dipped the rag into it, splashing cold water on her shoes. She sighed heavily in annoyance, but focused on cleaning the injured animal.

Eudora worked gingerly, unwilling to find out what would happen if she were to hurt the wolf further. Now and then, a deep growl rumbled within its great chest whenever she touched a sensitive area, so she stopped and gently stroked its soft fur until it calmed down. Once the injury was clean, she carefully poured out the dirty water and dissipated the bucket and rag. 

The wolf huffed and partially rolled up to sniff her work. Before she could idly question what it thought, the animal caught her between its massive paws and enveloped her face with its wet tongue. She squealed in shock and disgust as it licked her two more times before pressing its nose into her stomach in a nuzzling motion. 

Eudora giggled as the wolf then buried its snout between her and one of its paws, exposing more of its soft ruff to her. She took the motion as an invitation to scratch it. The girl raked her hands through the animal’s thick, white fur only to be rewarded with the heavy thump of its tail beating the ground behind it. 

She giggled again as the wolf licked her, seemingly more careful this time. It released her and licked its wound a few times. Eudora stared in amazement as the injury healed before her eyes. Then it stood up, forcing the girl to crane her head at the wolf towering over her. Its tail wagged lazily just before a paw scratched the ground beside her with black claws. She frowned up at it.

“I don’t understand what you want,” she confessed. “I have to go back to the research camp where my parents are. Do you know where it is?”

The wolf huffed and lay back down. It nudged her to its shoulder using its snout before watching her expectantly. Eudora placed a hand on the wall of fur in front of her before looking up at the animal’s dark blue eyes.

“Do you want me to climb on?”

It huffed again and perked its ears. The wolf shimmied its shoulder into her in response. The girl gripped a handful of fur, eyeing the white creature’s back.

“What’s the worst that can happen?” she murmured and climbed up. 

The wolf carefully stood up and took a few steps, allowing Eudora to get used to riding on it. It turned its head to glance at her out of the corner of its eye. She smiled and pat its shoulder in reassurance. 

The animal slowly picked up the pace as it trotted into the shrubland. Eudora tightened her grip on the beast before she could slide off. Once she felt secure, the girl instinctively tapped her heels into the wolf. It huffed a sound that almost sounded like a laugh before darting forward at a full run. 

Wind rushed past the girl, tugging her hair free from its braid. She closed her eyes as the wolf wove between shrubs and leapt over fallen trees. Eudora leaned forward until she was practically lying on the wolf, enjoying the feeling of the wind whipping through her clothes and hair. A laugh slipped out of the blonde girl as they raced along—her first since leaving Amaurot.

Eudora lost track of time. The next thing she knew, the wolf slowed before coming to a stop outside of the research camp. A few adults ran out of the tents only to hurry back inside for makeshift weapons. She slid off the wolf’s back before they could attack it.

“No! It’s alright! Don’t hurt it!” she cried, holding both hands up. “I-It saved me from a monster in the shrubland!”

The lead researcher approached, brandishing a pole with one hand and motioning Eudora over with the other. 

“Where have you _ been _, child?” he demanded. “We’ve been worried sick! And where is your mask?”

“It fell off when the cave monster attacked me,” she admitted, wringing the sleeve of her sweater. “It chased me to the dunes, but then the wolf saved me.”

“How many times have we told you not to leave the camp?!” the researcher shouted with a scowl. “This isn’t Amaurot! You can’t wander around as you like! We’re going straight to your parents’ tent and waiting for them to return!”

The researcher firmly grabbed Eudora by the arm and tugged her towards the tent. A loud scoff froze the man before he could take a step.

“You know perfectly well her parents will say she would have deserved to be eaten by that thing. ‘A just lesson for leaving without an adult’.”

Eudora looked over her shoulder to find the wolf missing. Instead, a tall man with an untamed mane of white hair stood in its place. He wore a simple tunic, pants, and boots, with a white fur draped over his broad shoulders. She recognized him as the strange researcher in the camp who never wore a mask, but always took a moment to answer her questions. The girl realized she had never even asked him his name.

At the moment, however, his dark blue eyes bore holes into the gathered researchers.

“And _ you _ lot,” he snarled, baring his fangs. “Worried sick, my ass. When you cowards found out she was missing, you chalked her up for lost and went back to your work! There’s your civility and _ society _ for you. And you call _ us _ savages; damned citydwellers.”

The man approached her and the lead researcher. He loomed over the shorter man and growled.

“Let go of her. _ I _ saved her. _ I _ will speak with her parents.”

“L-Lukos,” the man stammered, “do not think you can threaten your fellow researchers.”

A tense smile curled the white-haired man’s lips as he lifted his hands to smooth out a few wrinkles in the other’s shirt. Eudora’s eyes widened as she noticed the black claws on each finger.

“Now, what would give you that idea?” Lukos chuckled. “I have simply stated my intent to speak with the girl’s parents. I would explain what happened to their child. An innocent chat. No more, no less.” 

His hand fell heavily on the researcher’s shoulder as he leaned in close. When he spoke, his voice was a low growl.

“Let her go and return to whatever drivel you claim to be research notes.”

The hand trembled as it reluctantly released Eudora. Lukos stepped forward; when the shorter man retreated a few steps, he planted himself between the girl and the researcher. Eudora glanced around to find the other researchers entering their tents. She turned in time to see Lukos wave the man off.

“You may wish to add a note regarding the dried out remains we’ve been finding. The girl discovered the hunter; I’ll bring its corpse in the morning.”

The color drained from the researcher’s face. Lukos turned his back on the shorter man to smile down at Eudora. He offered one of his large, clawed hands.

“Let’s go, little one. I’m sure you would like nothing more than to relax in your tent.”

The girl stared up at the man, suddenly intimidated by his appearance. A faint frown tugged at the corner of his mouth. He retracted his hand and straightened up to his full height. He hummed softly as he scanned the camp.

“Ah, your tent is this way. Shall we?”

Lukos took a few steps forward before stopping to glance back at Eudora. His dark blue eyes swept over her and his concern became more evident. Snapping out of her stupor, she hurried to his side and quietly slipped her hand into his. They resumed walking towards her parents’ tent. 

After a few steps, she carefully tugged on Lukos’ hand to get his attention. The tall man peered down at her with a curious look in his eyes.

“I’m sorry for causing so much trouble.”

The man’s white eyebrows darted up his forehead. A gentle smile curled his lips as he shook his head.

“You have done no such thing, little one.”

“But I left camp,” she insisted. “I lost my mask. I hurt… I made _ you _ get hurt, didn’t I?”

“‘Twas the beast that hurt me, not _ you _,” he assured her, gently petting her on the head. “On the contrary, you showed me kindness and cleaned my wound.”

She stopped in her tracks and stared up at the man in wonder. 

“How did you turn into a wolf?” 

“I am a Wildling,” he explained. “It is a skill some of us possess.”

“Why? What’s a Wildling? Can you only turn into a wolf?”

His smile widened as he crouched down to answer her questions.

“A Wildling is a term used for those of us who dwell outside the cities and wear neither masks nor robes. Most can’t manipulate aether, but those of us who _ can _change our forms to protect the others. The shape of a wolf resonates most closely with me, but I can also take the form of a hawk.”

Her jaw dropped at his answers. More questions immediately filled the silence.

“Can I see? Can you show _ me _ how to do it? There’re other people who can’t manipulate aether? I thought Daeus was the only one! I bet he’d be happy to know! Could I meet some? Are they like you? Why don’t you wear masks? What’s it like to live outside the city?”

He momentarily blinked at her before a warm laugh spilled from him. Just as he opened his mouth to reply, her parents voices reached them. Eudora turned in time to be swept up in her parents’ arms. 

“How could you leave camp like that?!”

“Do you have any idea how worried we were?!”

“Never do that again, Eudora, do you hear me?”

“Lukos, thank you for helping us find her,” said her father while her mother created a new mask for Eudora. “Ankhen already told us what happened.”

The white-haired man stood up and bowed to her parents.

“Seeing your reactions to the child, I cannot express how happy I am to have been wrong,” he confessed. “As it stands I hope to ride this wave of gratitude a little further.”

Her mother crossed her arms before addressing Lukos.

“What exactly do you mean?” she demanded in a guarded tone. “We have nothing to give you apart from our thanks.”

The tall man shook his head. His eyes darted down to Eudora then focused on her parents.

“I learned quite a number of things regarding your little one—not the least of which being that lovely curiosity of hers that I would sooner encourage than stifle. She is brave and kind and holds an aetheric potential of which I believe neither of you are aware.”

Her parents exchanged a look over Eudora’s head while Lukos smiled directly at her. The man’s words made Eudora stand up a little taller. His dark blue eyes glimmered at the reaction.

“We don’t quite understand,” her father replied. “What do you want from us?”

“Neither of you concern me,” Lukos replied, eyes still focused on Eudora. “It is the little one’s opinion that matters more. I wish to help develop her nascent skills.”

“What do you mean we ‘do not concern you’?!” her mother snapped. “This is our daughter! You can’t do anything without our approval!”

Lukos raised an eyebrow and focused his gaze on her mother, who suddenly took a step behind her father. 

“The little one does things contrary to your approval, does she not?”

“The nerve of—!” her father spat before stopping and changing tactics. “She is a child, Lukos. It would be irresponsible to—”

“Irresponsible is bringing the child here and expecting her to immediately adapt,” Lukos interrupted with a growl. “This is not Amaurot. She could have died had I not found her and this conversation would be entirely different. I am a _ Wildling _. My people know the dangers of living outside the cities; let me train her.”

“No. Absolutely—”

“You will squander her potential,” Lukos snarled. “This girl could one day sit on the Convocation, but you’d rather she sit squarely in a feral beast’s stomach! Do you truly have no foresight?”

Again, her parents exchanged a look. 

“Do you… really think that?” her mother asked hesitantly. “What makes you so sure? You don’t know our daughter.”

“I’ve seen enough to make the judgement. I have friends who are currently members of the Convocation—one of whom is my oldest friend. I am intimately familiar with the process that goes into nominating a replacement and the requirements for the various seats.”

Her parents exchanged a third look.

“Our daughter?”

“On the Convocation?”

Eudora sensed a silent communication happen between them while Lukos caught her eye. He winked and smiled at her before mouthing ‘Don’t worry’.

“Alright,” said her father. “We’ll let you teach Eudora, but she will not leave camp unaccompanied and you will keep us informed about everything.”

“As you wish,” he said before crouching down to address Eudora. “I do also fear we’ve never been properly introduced,” he added, extending his hand to her. “I am Lukos.”

“Eudora,” she replied, suddenly bashful, and shook his hand the way her parents had taught her. “But you can call me Dori.”

“Dori,” he echoed before tilting his head. “Do forgive me, Dori, if I forget and continue to call you ‘little one’. Could you please correct me if I do?”

“I don’t mind being called ‘little one’.”

Being mindful of his claw, he lightly tapped the tip of her nose with the pad of his finger. 

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow morning, little one,” he said with a smile.

Eudora giggled and nodded in response. The tall man chuckled at the sound. Ignoring her parents, he turned and left them for his own tent on the other side of the research camp. The girl watched him until her mother spun her around.

“Listen, because this is very important. If that Wildling ever tries to harm you or do anything you don’t like, you _ need _ to let us know. Understand?”

She nodded. When her mother gave her a stern look, she agreed out loud. 

Her mother pulled her into their tent by the hand, muttering under her breath about the state of Eudora’s clothes and how she should immediately clean up. She quietly did as her mother said. 

The rest of the evening continued as normal: her father conjured up dinner and her parents talked about their research during the meal. Neither paid any attention to Eudora until her mother noticed she had finished eating at which point the girl was sent to bed. Her parents stepped outside to continue their conversation.

Just as Eudora was drifting off to sleep, she heard her name whispered between her parents. She roused herself just enough to listen in on what they were saying.

“I still can’t believe you _ want _ that Wildling teaching her,” her mother hissed. “No one knows anything about him—not even what he’s researching!”

“Does it matter?” her father countered. “Eudora won’t listen to either of us; she might as well be a Wildling child. You have to admit, my dear, if what he says is true—”

“Which we don’t know! For all we know, the savage is lying. Friends with a Convocation member, hah! I’d hate to think one of them is stupid enough to befriend one of _ those _ maskless bastards.”

“If what he says is true, then he has connections to the Convocation,” her father continued. “If he has connections, then maybe Eudora can benefit from them. Even working as an assistant in one of the Bureaus is better than we could hope for her. If he secures her a seat when she’s older, then all the better.”

When her mother quietly agreed, tears welled up in Eudora’s eyes. The girl sniffled and buried her face in her pillow to try and go back to sleep, but it did nothing to stop the conversation from replaying in her mind. It was far from the first time she had caught her parents saying such things about her, but after hearing what _ Lukos _ had said about her...

A thought came to her and she made her decision soon after. She waited until her parents went to sleep before sneaking out of their tent. Eudora crossed the still camp with only the light of the moon to guide her; much to her surprise, she only tripped _ twice _.

On the opposite end of the research camp, she found Lukos’ tent. Tendrils of smoke drifted up from the extinguished campfire in front of it, making her think that he had only recently turned in for the night. The girl carefully approached the entrance to the tent, slightly pulled it open, and whispered the man’s name. A sleepy hum answered her from inside. Eudora hissed his name a little louder, this time poking her head into the dark tent. 

Something moved in the darkness. The girl gasped as the lantern to her left lit up, illuminating the interior of the tent. It was sparsely furnished, especially compared to her parent’s tent packed with books and research equipment. A plain chest sat to the left of the entrance, upon which sat a book and pen beside the lit lamp. Opposite the entrance was a pile of furs that served as Lukos’ bed. The man lifted his head from where he lay to glance at the girl, then rolled onto his side so his back faced her.

“‘Tis not yet morning, little one. Let me sleep.”

“There’s something I need to say first,” she insisted, stepping into the tent and taking off her mask.

Lukos inhaled deeply, only to sigh.

“I suppose it could not wait. Alright little one, what has you coming to my tent at this hour?” he asked, rolling onto his back to sit up and face Eudora. 

The man raised his white eyebrows upon properly seeing the girl. A frown darkened his face as his eyes swept over her.

“Have you been crying?”

The question brought the sting of tears back to her eyes along with the fresh pain of what her parents had said. Although she shook her head, a sniffle gave it away. 

Lukos stood from the furs and walked over to pick her up in his arms. Eudora instinctively hugged the tall man’s neck and buried her face into her arm. He gently rocked her while rubbing her back and softly hushed her. The gestures only served to make her crying worse.

He held her until her tears turned back into simple sniffles. Lukos craned his head to wipe her face with the soft cloth that appeared in his hand. 

“There, there,” he whispered. “Now, can you tell me where this came from? What could possibly trouble such a cheerful little bird as you?”

Eudora hugged his neck again, this time burying her face into his long, unkempt hair. 

“I don’t… I don’t _ want _ to be on the Convocation,” she confessed. “I don’t want to be an assistant in one of the boring old Bureaus. I don’t know what I want to do, but I know what I _ don’t _ want!”

Lukos sighed in understanding and sat down on the piled furs. He made no effort to pry Eudora from him; instead, he lightly held her in place with one hand on her back to prevent her from falling out of his lap.

“I think I see,” he murmured. “Is this because of what I told your parents?”

The girl’s throat knotted up as she nodded into his hair. He hummed before gently nuzzling her forehead.

“The solution is simple, little one: do not apply for either of those positions. They would only accept you if you apply, after all. But all of that is a long way off for someone of your age to worry about,” he noted. “And, forgive me for not understanding, but that does seem rather specific.”

Eudora sniffled and pulled away far enough to wipe her nose with her sleeve. Lukos shook his head and offered the cloth to her with a softly spoken ‘Use this’. She thanked him and wiped her nose with it instead. The hand supporting her gently rubbed up and down her back while he studied her. 

“It’s specific because it’s what my parents said,” she forced past the lump in her throat. “They don’t think I’ll do anything useful when I grow up if you don’t use your connections.”

The hand on her back twitched, nearly digging his claws into her before it froze. A deep growl rumbled within Lukos as his eyes darted towards the entrance to his tent. Fear gripped Eudora at the thought of what the researcher had said earlier that night. She hugged his neck and shook her head.

“Don’t,” she whispered. “Please don’t hurt them; they’re still my parents.”

Lukos seemed to reluctantly relax. He hugged her tightly.

“Damned citydwellers,” he spat. “What do they know? Ignore them. You have me now, little one. I can’t officially take custody of you since there are laws preventing that, but I’m your family now—if you’ll have me.”

Her throat tightened at his words. Hope lifted her heart and sent warmth spreading throughout her. The girl wiped her nose with the cloth and the rest of her face with her sleeve.

“Do you really mean that?” she asked in a quiet voice.

Lukos nodded as a soft smile curved his lips. He brushed her hair away from her forehead only to place a gentle kiss there.

“I do. I will be your family. I will stand with you, no matter what you choose to do with your talents. From now on, just between us, you’re _ my _ little one.” 

She lunged forward to hug him and kiss his cheek. His arms wrapped around her in another hug as a warm chuckle rumbled inside him. They sat in silence. Eudora burrowed her face into Lukos’ white hair while he held her and gently stroked her long locks.

After a moment, he spoke.

“Do your parents know you’re here?”

She shook her head. Lukos sighed and stood up to carry her out of the tent.

“You cannot just sneak away from them, my little one. It will make them upset; they may think I stole you.”

Eudora clung tighter to Lukos.

“They won’t notice I’m gone. They’re just as bad as Hades once they’re asleep. Please, let me stay here.”

The tall man stopped just short of leaving his tent. He peered at the girl clinging to his neck and raised an eyebrow.

“Who is Hades? A friend of yours?”

She nodded. Once sure he wouldn’t walk out of the tent, the girl relaxed against his shoulder.

“Him and Daeus. They were my friends in Amaurot.”

“Daeus,” he echoed softly. “I think I recall you saying he couldn’t manipulate aether.”

Another nod. 

“He’s still really amazing though! He’s really good at climbing trees and playing hide and seek and he comes up with the _ best _ stories! He looks just like Hades, but his hair’s this really pretty dark purple color. Hades’ hair is nice too! It’s dark brown, like chocolate. But with all that, they aren’t really related. Their parents are researchers at the Akadaemia, just like my mother was.”

Something tightened in her chest at the thought of her friends. Tears welled up in her eyes only to be dried by Lukos with a fresh cloth.

“What about Hades?” he asked, returning to the pile of furs. “Tell me about _ him _. Why are your parents just as bad as him?”

Lukos set Eudora on the furs before tucking her in with one. A pillow appeared in his hand and he slipped it under her head. He lay down next to the child as she explained.

“Hades can sleep through _ anything _. I know because Daeus and I checked. He’s amazing, too; just like Daeus. Creation magic comes so easily to him. He used to help me figure things out all the time.” 

Eudora tucked the fur closer around herself. 

“I miss them,” she said softly.

“I’m sure you’ll see them again one day,” Lukos assured her. “Tell me more. Knowing you, I’m sure the three of you got into all sorts of trouble.”

“Not _ too _ much trouble,” she giggled. “Hades was the responsible one, but Daeus always managed to convince him to join us. There was this one time their caretaker took us on a tour of the Akadaemia and Daeus got an idea when we were by the greenhouses, but he needed Hades’ aether to do it.”

Lukos hummed to show he was listening while the lantern dimmed. Eudora snuggled up next to him as she continued her story. 

That story led into another which reminded the girl of yet another time with her friends. They came progressively slower, however, and more punctuated with yawns as the night dragged on until, eventually, she fell asleep hugging Lukos’ arm.


	11. Mistletoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a legend is tested.

“Daeus? What _ is _ all of this? Something from your Wildling Studies course or have you decided to take up Botany instead?”

Hades closed the door to the apartment he shared with his childhood friend—and current boyfriend. Branches of some sort of plant with dark green, oval leaves and clusters of small white berries littered their sitting room, covering the sofa and coffee table. The brunet placed his books on the kitchen counter.

“Daeus? Are you even here?” he called before crossing with arms. “What a mess. Where am I supposed to nap?”

A sound alerted him to his roommate’s presence. The other man walked out of their bedroom with a warm smile. Hythlodaeus greeted him with a gentle kiss on the lips. His boyfriend leaned into him; his arm draped across Hades’ shoulders. 

“How was your lecture? Did Lahabrea let the class out on time?”

“Daeus, why is our sitting room a greenhouse? The landlord warned us about losing our deposit after you snuck that bear cub into the apartment five moons ago.”

“Was his lecture _ that _ bad?”

“Hythlodaeus.”

The purple-haired man sighed, scratching the stubble on his jaw.

“Don’t worry, it’s for a project and _ yes _, it’s for Lahabrea’s Wildling Studies lecture. Apparently, mountain Wildlings derive a poison from the leaves and berries.”

Hades’ pale yellow eyes widened into a stare as his jaw dropped.

“And you just throw it around the apartment?! I _ nap _ on that sofa, Daeus!”

“Don’t be so dramatic, Hades; it’s only harmful if you ingest it,” Hythlodaeus explained, crossing over to gather up the branches in his arms.

His purple-haired twin moved the greenery to an unoccupied corner of the sitting room. He snapped off a twig with a few leaves and berries before returning to where Hades still stood by the front door. His lips twisted into a teasing smile as he held the plant over Hades and lightly kissed him on the lips.

“They also believe the plant protects one from evil spirits and if two lovers kiss below it, their union will last forever.”

“Kissing under a toxic plant makes your love last forever?” Hades asked, lifting a dark eyebrow. “What next, they believe an old sprite leaves presents for the children on their birthdays?”

“Only the good ones.”

Hades stared flatly at Hythlodaeus. The latter broke into a grin.

“It’s a joke, Hades. The plant thing is real, though,” he added, waving the sprig in front of Hades. “There’s a legend associated with it that explains everything. Something about a hunter using the plant to protect the woman he loved from a wild beast.”

Another skeptical raise of his eyebrow as his boyfriend’s pale golden gaze wandered up Hades’ form while he idly twirled the sprig between his thumb and forefinger.

Hythlodaeus rested his elbows on Hades’ shoulders. One arm wrapped around to cradle the brunet’s head while the one bearing the plant lifted it over their heads. He leaned in and kissed Hades, lips lingering on lips.

“Are you done for the day?” Hythlodaeus whispered. 

Hades nodded. A flush crept up his face as he pulled the purple-haired man closer by the waist of his pants. His arms wrapped around Hythlodaeus’ chest just before he kissed him.

“I think you just wanted an excuse to kiss me,” Hades smirked.

“Maybe,” Hythlodaeus confessed breathily. “Maybe I just want to test their legend.”

“How would you like to test it?”

A gleam entered his boyfriend’s pale eyes. Hades cried out in surprise as Hythlodaeus suddenly ducked down and picked him up, arms supporting his back and knees. The purple-haired man bared his teeth in a crooked grin before carrying the brunet into their bedroom.

Once inside, Hades saw more sprigs covering the ceiling of their bedroom. It almost resembled a forest canopy. His jaw dropped as Hythlodaeus placed him on the bed. He propped himself up on his elbows to peer at the ceiling while his boyfriend straddled him.

“Please tell me you used the gentle adhesive to make those stick,” Hades murmured.

“Will you shut _ up _ about the deposit?” Hythlodaeus hissed, pushing the other man onto his back and nipping his neck.

Hades gasped and tightly grabbed on to Hythlodaeus. The other man grinned into his neck before gently sucking at the bite. Hades arched into him, grinding his groin against his. Another _ harder _bite left him breathless. The purple-haired man’s lips moved to a different spot while his left hand snaked between them. Lithe fingers undid the buttons on Hades’ pants in seconds and pulled him out. They tightened around his hardening member while Hythlodaeus bit him again, causing Hades to grit his teeth in a vain attempt at stifling a cry. 

He reached up and tugged on Hythlodaeus’ short, purple hair. A thought was all it took to send his aether into the other man and command the strands to lengthen into something he could get a proper grip on. Hythlodaeus smirked as his hair fell into his face.

“So you want to take this seriously, I see.”

Hades smirked and pulled on the dark strands, drawing a throaty moan from the man on top of him. Another tug and a hand on Hythlodaeus’ neck was all it took to bring his boyfriend in range of his lips. The hand kept stroking while Hades slipped his tongue into the other man’s mouth. The hand’s motions stuttered as they tasted each other. The kiss deepened as Hades used Hythlodaeus’ hair and neck as leverage to try and sit up.

A firm hand on his shoulder kept him flat on his back. Instead, Hythlodaeus leaned further in with a grin and bit his lower lip. 

“_ No _.”

His voice was a firm, low growl that went straight to Hades’ cock. Heat flushed his face as a victorious gleam entered Hythlodaeus’ golden eyes. The man knew him too well. 

But _ he _ also knew Hythlodaeus down to the last strand of his emerald and gold soul.

Hades kissed him again, this time flattening his hand against the base of Hythlodaeus’ neck. He pulsed aether into the other man while tugging on his hair and sharply snapped his hips up into his boyfriend’s hand. Hythlodaeus’ grip tightened as the man groaned into Hades’ mouth; his hard shaft suddenly poked into Hades.

The sensation nearly threw him over the edge. 

Hades poured what aether he could into Hythlodaeus while his violet and red soul snaked out from behind its customary barrier to wrap itself around his boyfriend’s. It undulated while Hades’ aether worked its way through the other man’s body. 

Hythlodaeus’ eyes rolled back into his head as he arched upwards, pressing himself into Hades’ crotch. A single discernible thought flashed through the connection between the two men.

_ Y-you’re cheating! _

Even Hythlodaeus’ thoughts were stammering. Hades’ breaths grew shallow at the surge of pleasure coursing through their connection. He rolled his hips in his boyfriend’s grip before focusing his aether on Hythlodaeus’ cock, amplifying the sensation.

“But I thought you _ liked _ it when I cheated,” he purred. 

A groan built in the other man’s throat before deepening into a growl. Hythlodaeus pushed him back down. 

Aether surged into Hades, tingeing his perception emerald and violet. He gasped at the sensation and the surprise from Hythlodaeus’ end. Their identical eyes locked. Hades grinned, rubbing himself against his boyfriend’s leg.

“Do that again.”

Hythlodaeus exhaled a shuddering breath as he glanced down at his hand. 

“I… I don’t know how I did it in the first place.”

Hades rolled his eyes and grabbed the front of Hythlodaeus’ shirt. He pulled the man down and threw him to the side before straddling him. The brunet let his desire and want bleed into Hythlodaeus through their entwined souls while he refocused his aether into the other man’s shaft. One of his hands dropped to tend to himself while the other slipped into the purple-haired man’s shirt. 

Their combined aether responded to Hades’ touch and shifted within Hythlodaeus, creating a swirl of violet and emerald. The other man moaned. His nipples stiffened under Hades’ hand. Hythlodaeus squirmed between his legs and then bucked as he fed more aether into the man. Aether crackled between them. It buzzed within Hades, making him loose a lewd moan of his own before leaning over to Hythlodaeus’ ear.

“Lose yourself,” Hades purred. “You’ve seen me use aether enough times. Let instinct _ guide _you.”

Hythlodaeus clenched his jaw when Hades poured all of his emotions into the other man. A growl made Hades’ heart race and he suddenly found himself on his back without his slacks. His boyfriend tore a gasp from his lips as he hilted himself in Hades. The gasp turned into a deep moan when Hythlodaeus began rocking back and forth, almost fully sliding out before completely sheathing once more.

He reached for Hythlodaeus, desiring to touch _ any _ part of him. The purple-haired man pulled him upright and held him in his arms as he bounced Hades in his lap. He grasped his partner’s long hair and tugged. Aether surged into Hades wherever Hythlodaeus made contact with him. When Hades lifted his hand away, violet and deep green bolts arched between them, electrifying every ilm of his skin. One hand grabbed Hades’ member. Aether coursed into him through it. Hades’ jaw dropped as he arched into Hythlodaeus’ chest, hungering for more contact to stimulate _ more _ of the arousing aether.

Hythlodaeus pulled him back and bit deeply into Hades’ shoulder at the same moment he suddenly thrust into the brunet, stifling his own cry while drawing one out of his partner. Hades’ vision exploded with violet and emerald as he spent himself on Hythlodaeus.

Panting, both men held each other. Hythlodaeus nuzzled the crook of Hades’ neck and shoulder, gently kissing the quickly blossoming bruises. Hades leaned into his touch with a smile and brushed his fingers through his twin’s long, purple hair. 

The kisses slowly made their way along Hades’ jaw before stopping with a final kiss on the lips. He closed his eyes as their foreheads touched.

“I love you,” Hythlodaeus whispered.

Hades chuckled.

“And I love you, my better half.”

The brunet slowly tilted his head back and opened his eyes. He smirked at the sprigs attached to the ceiling above them.

“What do the Wildlings say about doing what we just did under a canopy of those things?”

Hythlodaeus laughed and kissed Hades’ neck.

“I don’t think it’s ever come up,” he admitted. “Although I’m more curious about what happened with my aether.”

He relaxed in his boyfriend’s arms. A hand came up to caress Hythlodaeus’ face as their foreheads touched once again.

“I am too. It was almost as if you had some control over the aether I put into you. Which reminds me…”

Hades snapped his fingers, cleaning and straightening their clothes. He cast his sleepy gaze downwards to find himself still naked from the waist down. The brunet frowned.

“What did you do to the rest of my clothes?”

Hythlodaeus opened his mouth to respond before shutting it and glanced around the room. After a moment, he locked eyes with Hades and shrugged. He hugged the brunet and flopped onto his side, dragging his partner down with him.

“We can worry about that when we wake up,” Hythlodaeus murmured. 

Hades silently agreed with a smile as he settled into the man’s hold. A hand found its way to his boyfriend’s dark purple locks where they twisted the strands into his grip and he drifted to sleep.


	12. The Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a secret is revealed.

“The Bureau of the Architect does not have the _ manpower _ to do a complete overhaul of the site!”

“Then outsource the project to other Bureaus!” Nabriales countered. “_ We _ have run the diagnoses multiple times and the numbers are beginning to _ skyrocket _, Emet-Selch. Soon, toxicity levels will reach the point where the areas surrounding the power plants will be rendered dangerous for human life.”

Hades struck the table in front of him. Even with his mask and hood in place, Eudora could tell his temper was beginning to rise. He jabbed a finger at Nabriales across the room.

“If the situation is so dire, then why did you wait so long to inform me?! How _ incompetent _ is your staff that this is the first time this has been brought to my attention?!”

“_ My _ staff?! How incompetent is your entire _ Bureau _ if you haven’t heard this before? We have sent countless reports to your people asking—and later _ demanding _—you fix this!”

Pure fury flashed through the connection Eudora shared with her husband. She gasped while Hades snarled and launched himself over the table, aiming for their colleague. The blonde sensed aether pour out of him and shimmer the same way—

Halmarut shouted a warning. A thick wall of ice sprang up in front of Hades, preventing him from leaping the table to strangle Nabriales. Three more walls shot up, enclosing him in opaque ice. Yells flooded the chamber as the Convocation fell to arguing and taking sides. She caught the nod that passed between Lahabrea and Elidibus. The latter coughed into his fist.

Silence fell over the Convocation despite mouths still moving. One by one, the others stopped and turned their attention to the Emissary. 

“I propose a recess of thirty minutes,” he announced calmly. “That should give everyone enough time to cool down. Shachar, could you please help Lahabrea with Emet-Selch?”

Eudora nodded and hurried forward to the ice prison containing her husband while the Speaker calmly followed.

A gap formed in the ice, allowing her a glimpse inside. The blonde reached out through their connection before approaching the prison. Hades assured her that his temper was under control, but stayed out of sight. She carefully placed her hands on the edge of the hole and pulled herself up. 

A pair of glowing, pale gold eyes stared at her from the darkness. Panic flowed through her connection from Hades' end just before a cloud of violet aether blocked her view.

_ Don’t look at me. Not when I’m like _ ** _this_ ** _ . _

A concerned frown made its way to her face, but Eudora stroked what she could feel of his soul. It shied away from her touch, which only made her worry more.

_ It’s alright, Hades. Nothing’s going to happen. _

A wave of fear that wasn't hers passed over Eudora. She caught a glimpse of movement in the aethereal cloud, but it seemed _ bigger _ than Hades. Her husband’s aether glimmered in the prison and something receded into the shadows.

_ You’ll be scared. Everyone is when they… _

The thought stopped. Instead, melancholy took its place, seeping into her soul. Tears welled up in her eyes as a hand gently took her shoulder.

“Tell him we’re going to another room,” Lahabrea whispered. “I’ll dissipate the ice once he’s there and let you handle him on your own. I very much doubt he’ll harm _ you _in his anger.”

Eudora nodded and relayed the message, blinking away her tears.

_ Very well, but I want you to leave, too. _

She let go of the window and crossed her arms. Grabbing onto what she could of his soul, she let her annoyance bleed into him.

_ Don’t be ridiculous! You’re my husband; I’m not about to leave you alone if you need help. _

_ I don’t _ ** _need_ ** _ help. I just need some time to _ — _ I shouldn’t have— _

A deep, frustrated growl echoed inside the prison. It shook and cracks formed along its surface as something struck the wall from within. The same feeling hit Eudora through their connection. Their colleagues gasped in surprise before backing away from the ice. Whispers were exchanged as Hades explained through their bond.

_ It’s harder this time due to the circumstances, but I just need a few minutes to regain control of this. _

_ Hades, you _ ** _promised_ ** _ you wouldn’t hide anything from me, remember? _

Silence. 

Hades went still inside his prison.

After a moment, his soul rubbed against hers the way it always did when he wanted to apologize. Violet and red entwined with aquamarine.

“Emet-Selch,” Elidibus called, calmly approaching the ice prison. “I would speak with you regarding outbursts when we adjourn for the day. Understood?”

A second passed before Hades responded.

“Yes, Emissary.”

Eudora’s eyes widened at the sound of her husband’s suddenly deep and rough voice. 

Fervent whispers filled the chamber as Elidibus nodded to Lahabrea. The Speaker tapped a finger on the prison and motioned to the door. A trail of ice formed, allowing the structure to glide out of the room. 

A quick trip down the hall and around the corner found Eudora and Lahabrea standing outside an empty office. The ice containing Hades had already slid inside. The Speaker offered the Listener a soft smile.

“Take your time getting him to calm down. If neither of you are back by the time we resume, we will simply move on to other matters. Of course, no votes will be held in your absence so no worries there. Once he’s ready to listen to reason, let him know that I will personally pick out some of the more experienced Creators from my department and loan them to his Bureau to help with the matter of the destabilized plants.”

“Thank you, Lahabrea,” Eudora replied, smiling under her full-face mask. “I’m sure Emet-Selch will be relieved to hear.”

“Think nothing of it, little one_ — _ Ah! My apologies, _ Shachar _. I fear I’ve been spending too much time with Lukos.”

She shook her head and told the man not to worry. Lahabrea excused himself, leaving her alone in front of the closed door. 

Eudora dissipated her mask and rested her forehead against the wooden door. She closed her silver eyes before extending her aether into the room. Within the empty space, she sensed Hades’ aether coiled up tightly as if trying to compress itself into something much smaller than itself. The woman frowned and softly knocked on the door, requesting permission to enter.

A soft click preceded the door slowly swinging open. She stepped inside to find a large cloud of Hades’ aether in the center of the room. Sensing her husband somewhere within, Eudora approached it.

“Hades?” she called, stopping just at the cloud’s edge. “It’s alright; we’re alone. You don’t have to hide.”

Tendrils of Hades’ aether wrapped themselves around her legs. She smiled before reassuring him through their connection and stepped into the cloud. The violet aether embraced her as swirls of bright red danced around her. Eudora smiled, closing her eyes to the sensation.

“I think I saw a bit of this when you fought Lukos. I remember…” Her hands grasped at the air as she searched for the word she wanted. “I remember these _ giant _ claws grabbing him. You were furious then, too, weren’t you?”

_ I was. _

“Why don’t you speak?”

_ I am. _

“I mean _ verbally _ ,” she chuckled. “Don’t tell me you think I’d be scared of your _ voice _, my love.”

A moment’s silence. 

A sound like someone clearing their throat echoed in the cloud. Something shifted behind her accompanied by the rustling of robes. Surprise flitted through their bond.

“You mean you aren’t?” Hades asked.

Eudora turned to face his voice. She tilted her head over one shoulder, confused as to why it seemed to come from above her. Hades wasn’t _ that _ much taller than her.

“Why would I be? This is still _ you _ isn’t it?”

Surprise once again flooded their connection only to be quickly replaced by _ warmth _. Eudora smiled at the feeling. 

“Do you mean that?”

Despite the lower pitch, there was a sad tone to the question that made it unmistakably Hades. She nodded in response, feeding the love she felt for the man into their bond.

Her husband’s aether shifted around her before drifting to the ground. Silver eyes followed it, only to widen upon seeing Hades’ large shadow. She traced it back to the bottom hem of Hades’ Convocation robes. Her gaze darted up to his face and her jaw _ dropped _.

He towered over her, fulms taller than before. His skin had lost all color which left it a pale grey. Golden claws capped off the fingers of the hands he lifted only to fold over his chest. A spiked, iron crown floated over his head of long, white, wavy hair. His mask was missing, letting her see the glowing, pale yellow eyes that intently studied her face. Her gaze drifted to the immense pair of arms growing out of his back that ended in four-digit claws. These, she recognized as the hands that had snatched her mentor out of the air during the fight. They flexed awkwardly as if Hades didn’t know what to do with them under her scrutiny. They eventually settled for crossing over his chest like the other set. 

Apprehension rippled through their bond as the glowing eyes averted themselves at her continued silence. The claws on the larger right hand dug themselves into the bicep of the opposite arm. The glowing red pattern on his left arm pulsated in time with the vague thoughts that made their way to Eudora via the connection. 

A deep sigh brought her gaze back to Hades’ face. His eyes were still staring through the wall to his left. His lips were bent into a frown.

“I told you,” he whispered. “This form scares everyone, but you’re right. I promised not to keep anything from you.”

“Everyone? Even Daeus?” she asked.

Hades snorted as she slowly approached him. 

“Daeus isn’t everyone.”

Eudora reached up to stroke one of his larger arms. The skin was rough and leathery under her fingers. Hades tensed at her touch; he stared down at her from the corner of his eye. She smiled and locked eyes with her husband while resting her hand on his arm. Her other hand traced the edge of the giant, clawed thumb.

“Neither am I.”

Confusion and shock spread both through the bond and over his face. She laughed at his reaction and used both of her hands to tug on his much larger one. It slipped out from the crook in his elbow. Eudora climbed into his palm before clambering onto his other arm. The added height put her in reach of his face. His smaller arms instinctively held her in place as she hugged his neck and gently kissed him. His eyes opened wide; his jaw went slack, revealing a pair of fangs. She smirked and toyed with a strand of his long hair.

“When I say ‘I love you’, I mean _ all _ of you, Hades _ — _ even this form. Because it’s still _ you _.”

“You’re not… afraid?” he asked, deep voice rumbling in his chest.

Eudora shook her head. She wrapped her soul around his so her emotions bled into him.

“Do you sense any fear?”

His eyes closed while his smaller arms hugged her tightly; even the other pair closed in, enveloping them in what Eudora could only describe as the sense of _ Hades _. A shiver ran down her spine as her husband studied her soul down to the very last particle. She leaned into him and waited, running her hands through the soft waves of his hair. An idle thought drifted into their connection. Hades tensed around her again.

“You _ like _ the long hair?”

Eudora nodded against his cheek. 

“Can you keep it in your other form?”

“My… _ other _ form?” he echoed.

Another nod. He leaned away from her, glowing eyes filled with confusion as they skimmed over her face. She ran a hand through his hair before gathering it at the base of his neck and pulled it forward over his shoulder. Eudora smiled and began braiding it, entrusting her full weight to his arms.

“Yes, your other form. The one you are not currently using. Your more-acceptable-to-society form.”

“My…” he started before stopping. White eyebrows lifted up his forehead. “You’re taking this rather well. The last person who saw me like this screamed and demanded I never show it to her again.”

Anger stirred within Eudora at the news, but she swallowed it down before Hades could sense it. Instead, she tied off the plait with a violet ribbon she had created.

“The closest thing I have to a father regularly takes the form of a wolf or a hawk. Do you really think I’m going to bat an eyelash at you growing a few fulms and sprouting another pair of arms?”

“This is a little different, Dori.”

“So are you,” she countered with a smirk.

Before Hades could retort, she slipped out of the grip of his smaller arms and settled in the crook of his larger elbow. The arm reflexively adjusted to cradle her; its partner curled around to make sure she wouldn’t fall. 

She snuggled against the side of his chest and hugged his smaller arm. Even his more humanoid hands were now big enough to cover her face with only the palm. Eudora toyed with his gilt claw as she explained her reasoning.

“You and Daeus are anything _ but _ normal. Nearly identical, but unrelated. Connected without being bonded. Capable of manipulating each other’s aether, despite his incapacity. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had another form too, but it goes unseen because he can’t use aether.”

“He does have those wings,” Hades noted. “You have to admit, he took rather naturally to flying.”

Eudora smiled at the rumbling of Hades’ voice. She sandwiched his hand between both of hers. He gently closed it around hers, careful not to harm her with his claws.

“He did, didn’t he?” she asked before realizing something about the golden additions looked familiar. “Wait, I’ve seen these before, haven’t I? The night of our bonding ceremony you…”

Her face flushed at the memory. A pink blush picked its way across Hades’ face as well.

“They _ came out _ for lack of a better term,” he finished. “As you saw then and during the session, I have trouble maintaining my regular form when overcome with extreme emotions. It was easier before, but it has become more of a problem since using the machine in the Bureau’s basement.”

She hummed to show she understood. A thought came to her as she stroked the back of his hand, continued along his finger, and stopped at the tip of his claw. 

“They were smaller, weren’t they? I think if you tried to do anything to me with this, you’d puncture something.”

Hades’ blush deepened. 

“P-probably,” he stammered. 

“So that means they must adjust to your overall size, right? I’d even bet these other arms would, too.”

“I suppose.”

Eudora beamed up at her husband before hopping to the floor. She took a few steps back to give him space.

“Why don’t we see? Can you make yourself closer to your normal height?”

Both pairs of arms crossed over Hades’ chest. Confidence surged through their bond as he smirked down at her, cheeks still rosy from her previous comment. 

“What a question! Of _ course _I can.”

Aether whirled around her husband before seeping into him. He shrank slowly, ilm by ilm until he stood at his typical height. Both pairs of arms stretched outwards at his sides. Hades smirked.

“See?”

Eudora nodded and ran into his arms with a grin. He stumbled backwards in surprise, but caught himself with his larger limbs. Hades cupped her face in his golden clawed hands. Thumbs gently stroked her cheekbones. Tears welled up in her husband’s eyes as he studied her.

_ You’re serious. I’d almost think you _ ** _like_ ** _ this form. _

A blink sent the tears streaming down his cheeks. Eudora kissed them away.

“I do,” she confessed. “Because I like _ you _. How many times do I have to say it?”

“But _why _?” he asked, voice deep and thick with emotion.

She bit back her instinctive response and tried to seriously consider the question. Eudora shook her head after a moment.

“I don’t know. Do I need a reason to love you? You’re a good man, Hades, and a good friend. What other reason do I need? I simply _ do _ and that’s all that matters.”

The hands holding her face brought her in for a kiss. Her tongue slipped into his mouth and explored his long fangs. She smirked against his lips, nipping his lower one before going back in for another. Simple relief washed through their bond as he finally broke the kiss and crushed her against his body with all four arms. 

Eudora felt the aether surrounding her change just before the pressure eased off her body. The larger arms vanished, leaving her feeling cold. Hades’ hold on her softened, allowing her to pull back and see that color had returned to his skin and his eyes, along with his hands, were back to normal. The blonde smiled upon seeing his long, white hair still in a braid. 

“So there’s your other form,” she whispered, caressing his cheek. “It’s strange to see you so _ short _.”

Hades scoffed and shook his head, but the faintest of smiles brightened his face. His gaze wandered over to the clock on the wall while he held Eudora’s hand.

“We should head back. The recess must be over by now.”

His voice had also returned to its typical pitch. She agreed with a nod and gently pulled him to the door. 

“It goes without saying that I won’t tell anyone_ — _not even Lukos,” she whispered.

“It’s alright,” Hades replied as they slowly made their way back to the Convocation chamber. “I won’t mind if you tell the old man. Knowing him, he likely already knows about my… less-acceptable-to-society form.”

She chuckled. Hades smiled.

“Thank you,” he whispered. 

Eudora felt the emotion attached to his gratitude. She pulled him in for a chaste kiss on the cheek before summoning her Convocation mask back into place. His own appeared soon after and they stopped holding hands as they turned the corner. 

_ I do have to admit to being curious, _ she quietly confessed through their bond. _ Does anything else grow when you get to your full height? _

Hades tripped on the perfectly polished marble floor. His arms flailed as he steadied himself. Eudora bit her lip to keep from laughing at the matching shades of red between his face and mask. 

_ I-I can’t say I ever— _

_ We should find out, _ she decided with a nod. _ Why not tonight? I think Daeus said he had to go to his _ ** _actual_ ** _ apartment tonight, which gives us some privacy. We can see what else those other arms of yours can do. Come to think of it, I wonder what Daeus would think about using your taller form for that. _

Hades ever so slightly lifted his mask, revealing the extent of his blush. He glanced at Eudora out of the corner of his eye while his lips curved into a smirk.

“You really _ are _ serious.”

“I take it you have no qualms then, Emet-Selch,” she said, slipping back into his title as they approached the doors to the chamber.

“None at all, Shachar.”

_ I’ll stop by the restaurant and pick up dinner while you get scolded by Elidibus, _ she suggested.

Her husband’s violet and red soul brushed against hers in agreement. He lifted a hand and snapped. The doors opened, allowing them to return to their respective seats.


	13. The Other pt II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which another discovery is made.

Violet aether shimmered in the air just before a massive, clawed hand slammed into the wall, blocking Eudora's exit from the dining room. The four digits dug grooves in the apartment wall as the hand closed into a fist. She turned to find Hades already partially transformed: a few ilms taller, a little paler, and eyes glowing in the dimly lit room. His other monstrous hand pressed against the wall on the other side of her head, trapping her.

"Last chance, my love," he growled, voice already deepening. "We will only continue if you are _ completely _sure that this is what you wish."

Eudora took one of his hands, golden claws already growing from their tips. Slowly, yet purposefully, she sucked the finger into her mouth and tightened her lips around it. A flush spread across her husband's face as she eased it out, tracing her tongue along its length until the tip popped out of her mouth. He swallowed a groan. Cracks spiderwebbed from where his claws were clutching the wall on either side of her. She smiled up at him.

"I want to see _ all _ of you, Hades."

A pleased growl rumbled within her husband. He closed the distance between them and roughly pressed a kiss to her lips. His more humanoid arms wrapped around her, holding her tight against him as he deepened the kiss. A moment later, he bit her lower lip; his fangs raked the sensitive skin as he straightened up. He studied her through heavy-lidded eyes while he pushed her back against the wall.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “You haven’t seen _ everything _ about this form.”

Eudora smirked and clucked her tongue at her husband.

“Tsk-tsk, Hades. You aren’t supposed to keep secrets, remember? What are you _ hiding _ from me?”

She reached out and pulled him close by the waistband of his slacks. A glance had confirmed he had already tented the fabric. Pulling him in, however, revealed that he _ had _ remained proportional to his height. Eudora grinned wickedly before grinding against his bulge.

Hades groaned through clenched teeth. One of his larger hands came between them, pressing Eudora into the wall while he backed away. His other monstrous hand slipped the tip of a claw between her skirt and waist. It pulled the fabric down to reveal the black silk underwear she had chosen for their evening. He grinned at the sight, using a second claw to gingerly drag the silk down her thighs.

“If you _ insist _ ,” he conceded, “but you will immediately tell me if I hurt you in any _ unpleasant _ ways.”

Using his smaller hands, he freed himself from his pants and began stroking his length.

Before Eudora could question him, something _ shifted _ in the darkness of his growing shadow. She gasped as it spread towards her; tendrils of it clung to her legs as one of his larger claws pinned her hands over her head. 

When Hades exhaled, the shadowy tendrils solidified and wrapped themselves around her legs. His other monstrous hand planted itself on the ground. He leaned his full weight against it and continued to work himself as the tendrils crept their way up Eudora’s legs. They teased her inner thighs until she squirmed in her husband’s grip.

“Using your magic on me? Aren’t you going to actually do anything?” she asked, breath turning shallow. 

Two tendrils wrapped themselves around her ankles. They spread her legs while Hades displayed his fangs in a grin.

“Oh, but I _ am _.”

Hythlodaeus hummed to himself as he finished watering the last potted plant on his windowsill. The evening had gone rather well: he had stopped by at the restaurant for a quick meal before continuing to his apartment. It had been nearly two months since he had last visited the place and he felt it was only right to check in on things. His plants had only survived thanks to the other tenants stopping by to water them.

With everything taken care of, Hythlodaeus sat down in his favorite armchair and propped up his feet on the coffee table. He grabbed the book he was currently reading, a birthday gift from Eudora, from the arm rest and settled in to read until he fell asleep.

Halfway down the page, he felt heat wash over him before settling in his groin. His brow furrowed in confusion as more heat flooded into him, drawing a quiet whine from his throat. The book fell from his hand while he focused in an attempt to locate the source.

Ah, the bond. 

His fingers dug into the armrests as another surge hit him, making him involuntarily buck his hips. He and Hades had agreed that they would block what they could to keep from inconveniencing each other, considering the ease with which one's emotions affected the other. _ This _ time, however, it seemed Hades had forgotten to close their connection.

Hythlodaeus clenched his jaw to keep from moaning loud enough for the neighbours to hear. What could be so different this time that would make Hades forget?

The purple-haired man closed his eyes as he rubbed himself through the fabric of his slacks. He traced their connection before suddenly being struck by a strong surge of aether.

He gasped, cock _ twitching _ at the realization of what his lovers were doing. He had half a mind to return to Hades' apartment and join them. Hades certainly had enough hands and _ other _ appendages to tend to both his lovers and himself. Hythlodaeus glanced at where his robes and mask hung by the door. The man idly wondered if he could make the walk to his lovers without—

A bolt of pleasure forced a lustful moan from him. He clamped a hand over his mouth and sank into his armchair. His eyes closed as he surrendered himself to the pleasure humming through the bond.

A tendril teased Eudora’s lower lips. The care with which it explored reminded the woman of her husband’s light touch just before it plunged into her. Another snaked its way under her blouse and up her back, caressing each ilm of skin until it reached her head. The shadowy tendril’s tip sharpened and lengthened to resemble one of Hades’ claws. Her silver eyes widened as a realization struck her.

“This is your aether,” she panted. 

“A coalesced form of it, yes. Born of my shadow.”

The tendril within her curled its tip, drawing a gasp from the woman. The sharp-looking tendril in front of her darted into her mouth before she could close it. When she nearly gagged, it relieved the pressure and began toying with her tongue. Understanding what Hades wanted, she closed her lips over it and started to suck. A shudder passed through her husband’s limbs. She felt his pleasure flooding their connection and smirked around the tendril in her mouth. 

Hades was leaning heavily on his other monstrous arm. Both of his more humanoid hands were attending his larger cock while his golden eyes watched from beneath heavy-lids set above a pair of flushed cheeks that made him seem all the paler. She squeezed her thighs around the tendril inside her. Hades moaned; his stroking stuttered as the golden orbs rolled back into his head.

Her husband grew taller. The arm pinning her to the wall gained mass. The sharp claws dug deeper grooves into the wall, breaking off large chunks that fell on either side of her. Eudora winced in pain as the claws crushed her hands with his increased strength. He immediately loosened his grip. 

As if to apologize, a tendril split off from the one inside her. It wound its way up her hip, around her waist, and under her blouse to settle between her breasts. Thinner wisps of darkness spread to either side to toy with her nipples, which immediately hardened at the cool touch. Hades chuckled—the dark sound rumbled through the tendrils tending to her—as he pushed off his arm and approached.

Another tendril joined the first within her, thickening until the combined mass pushed against her inner walls. She reflexively bit the tendril in her mouth and squirmed down as if to urge it deeper still. 

Hades smirked despite his flushed face as both of his monstrous arms hoisted her higher up the wall. The tendril slipped out of her mouth long enough for him to kiss her, replacing the tendril with his surprisingly long tongue. His humanoid hands grasped at her torso. The claws shredded through her blouse before they delicately pressed into her skin. He broke the kiss only to bury his fangs into her neck. Eudora cried out in pain.

“Mine,” he growled into her skin. 

The tendrils vibrated with his declaration, stimulating her nipples and clit until it wiped out the pain of his bite. Eudora instinctively leaned into him. Her arms and legs struggled against the limbs and tendrils preventing her from touching him.

“M-more,” she begged. 

His lips curled into a smile against her skin and he purred; the tendrils mirrored the frequency.

“_ Mine _ ,” he insisted. “All _ mine _.”

She gasped as the tendril within her began to undulate while Hades nipped at her exposed skin; each bite left behind red pin pricks and quickly bruising skin. The other, sharp tendril inserted itself into her mouth and she resumed sucking it. Hades moaned her name; each rumble of his voice sent a fresh jolt through her sensitive areas.

“_ Eudora _ . Mine. _ Mine _ . ** _Mine_ **.”

Hythlodaeus’ breaths came in shallow, jagged gasps. One hand stifled his moans while the other worked his length. He could _ feel _ Hades pleasuring their lover. The way she felt surrounding his tendrils—squeezing and _ sucking _ on them. One squeeze in particular nearly threw Hades from his peak. The resulting pleasure that shot into Hythlodaeus made his eyes roll and his teeth dig into the soft flesh of his hand. 

Aether accompanied the sensation, more than ever before. It saturated the purple-haired man, bleeding into his own aether. He gasped as it _ tugged _at something within him. Another moan left his ragged throat as silver claws burst from his fingertips. Hythlodaeus swore under his breath and released himself before he could tear anything important. He stared in wonder at his clawed hands.

With his cock now unattended, he felt Hades’ aether gather within it, drawing the man’s attention away from his claws. A tendril formed of violet aether slithered out of his shadow and wrapped itself around his shaft. It squeezed and writhed, teasing stifled noises out of Hythlodaeus. 

A surge of Hades’ _ possessiveness _ seized Hythlodaeus. He growled as he clenched the armrests of his seat, claws burying themselves into the stuffing. The tendril picked up its pace while another appeared near his shoulder. It slid into the man’s shirt and wrapped around his torso.

_ Mine _ , Hades’ voice hissed. _ My Daeus. _ ** _Mine._ **

The declaration struck a chord in Hythlodaeus. He rolled forward and fed aether into the tendril tending to his cock. Surprise echoed through the connection, quickly followed by pleasure. The sensation vibrated within Hythlodaeus before focusing on his length. His hands grasped the armrests for leverage and snapped his hips into the tendril’s grip. Pressure built up in his shoulder blades as he bucked again.

_ You’re _ ** _mine_ ** _ , _ Hythlodaeus snarled back. 

Two pairs of blue-green wings erupted from his back, knocking things aside as they flapped. His skin paled while small, charcoal grey scales spread across his hands and forearms, quickly followed by a line of feathers. His vision blurred before sharpening and his feet burst out of his shoes in the form of talons. Something snaked between him and the armchair that was suddenly becoming too small for his growing form. 

Hades chuckled through their connection. A dozen more tendrils grabbed Hythlodaeus and pulled him into his shadow.

Harnessing her aether, Eudora seized the tendril undulating within her. She poured her aether into it and, therefore, into Hades. Her husband bit into her shoulder to stifle his moan. Doing her best to concentrate, she used her aether to pull the tendril out before pushing it back in. Hades chuckled into her shoulder; her aether lost its grip and slid off the vibrating tendril.

“If _ that _ is what you wanted, then why didn’t you say so?” he purred happily. 

The thick tendril slid out of her. Eudora glared at Hades, who smirked. One of his monstrous hands held her arms in place while the other slipped between her and the damaged wall. The tendrils holding her legs apart finally released her. Using the hand cradling her back, Hades held her so the tip of his erection pressed against her opening. He leaned in to kiss her before easing himself inside.

Hades suddenly jerked, slamming the rest of his cock into her while he crushed her against his chest. She gasped as her vision exploded with stars. He moaned into her ear and rocked his hips, drawing out a moan from _ her _ that was stifled by the tendril in her mouth. A chuckle rumbled deep within her husband’s throat.

“Things are about to get _ interesting _, my dearest.”

Before she could question him, Eudora sensed the aether in the dining room shift. She caught a glimpse of four blue-green wings before a pair of silver-clawed hands wrapped themselves around Hades’ neck and one of his monstrous arms from behind. Hythlodaeus’ head popped up over Hades’ shoulder—but he had four, glowing, golden eyes and pale skin. 

Their lover rested his chin on Hades’ shoulder while his wings folded against his back. A long, thin tail, covered in small, charcoal grey scales with feathers trailing the top wrapped around both of them while Hythlodaeus smirked. The feather-tufted tip twitched with his amusement.

“Now what did the two of you think you were up to not inviting me along?”

His voice had also deepened, much like her husband’s. Eudora stared at the tall man over Hades’ shoulder. Even her husband seemed shocked at the change in his lover—even though he quickly recovered. One of his humanoid hands reached up to hold Hythlodaeus in place for a kiss. The tail tightened its hold on them while Hythlodaeus leaned forward to make it easier for Hades. 

“We don’t want to scare Dori, do we?” her husband reasoned. 

“You didn’t even know I _ had _ this form,” Hythlodaeus scoffed.

His four eyes focused on Eudora as a warm grin spread across his face. His right eyes narrowed in unison just before his tail loosened its hold to wrap around the base of Hades’ dick, still sticking out of Eudora. Her husband moaned and jerked into her as the scales rubbed against him. Her breathing grew shallow again at the renewed stimulation.

“Ah, but it does seem I came at a good time,” Hythlodaeus purred.

The tail twisted again at the same time its owner bit into Hades’ shoulder. Heat ignited in Eudora’s stomach as she watched her lover mark her husband. A silver-clawed hand moved to Hades’ hips, pulling them away from Eudora. The man withdrew just enough before slamming back into her. She threw her head back and let out a muffled cry along with Hades. Recovering from the stimulation, she rocked as well as she could on her husband’s dick and grinned.

_ More. Or is that all you’ve got? _she asked, goading the pair through their bond. 

Her lover grinned mischievously and adjusted himself behind her husband. The tail slowly unwrapped itself from around the man’s cock and coiled around one of his legs. A low groan escaped Hades as Hythlodaeus eased himself into him. 

Her husband’s monstrous hand finally released her arms, dropping all of her weight into his more humanoid set. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms hugged his neck as both of his larger, clawed hands clutched the wall. A thrust from Hythlodaeus pushed them against the crumbling wall and forced Hades deeper into Eudora.

Her lover set the pace for the three of them: slow and deep. Aether sparked around them as violet tendrils slithered out of Hades’ shadow. The ones already at Eudora’s nipples resumed rubbing and pinching while a new one slipped in alongside her husband’s length to tend to her clit. She toyed with the one in her mouth. Hades growled lustily, breaking their lover’s rhythm to thrust into her. The other tendrils focused on Hythlodaeus. They wrapped tightly around his torso and the base of his tail. A thicker one slipped into him from behind, making him gasp in surprise. They vibrated in time with Hades’ moans and growls, stimulating his wife and his lover, quickening their release.

Eudora woke to soft morning light shining into their ruined dining room. Chairs had been knocked aside and paintings tumbled from their nails. The wall separating the room from the kitchen had been utterly destroyed, revealing more chaos as things had crashed to the floor from the kitchen cabinets—along with the cabinets themselves. 

She suddenly became aware of more _ limbs _ than normal. The four arms hugging her were typical enough of the cuddling men—even if they _ were _ larger than she remembered them being. Even the pair of blue-green wings that covered them like a blanket was within expectations considering he knew she liked them. 

No, the _ strange _ thing to Eudora was Hythlodaeus’ second set of wings and the giant arms growing from Hades’ back that were hugging her and her lover to her husband. There was also something gently wrapped around one of her legs that was tickling her as it idly twitched back and forth.

The woman tried to lift her head, only to have a silver-clawed hand gingerly push her back down.

“Too early, dearest Dori. You can sleep a little more,” Hythlodaeus murmured.

One of the wings moved to block the sunlight from her eyes while his arms clutched her tighter to his chest. She turned around in his embrace to find he had two sets of eyes, one set atop the other. Both of his right eyes were open, revealing the faintest sliver of glowing gold. 

Eudora smiled at her sleepy lover and rested a hand on his face.

“You can change too,” she observed in a whisper.

His eyes closed as he nuzzled her hand.

“Surprised me, too,” he confessed. “I think we have Hades to thank for this discovery.”

Her husband stirred upon hearing his name. With an annoyed growl, he pulled Eudora out of Hythlodaeus’ grip and hugged her close. He buried his face in her hair before relaxing.

“What are you pinning on me _ now _?” he demanded.

In lieu of response, Hythlodaeus sat up and stretched his wings to their full length, blocking out the rest of the room. They folded back into place as his claws clicked against the tiled floor. He pushed himself to his taloned feet and pulled his tail free from where it had coiled around Eudora’s leg. He loomed over the prone pair, two heads taller than his normal height. 

“All of us know I cannot manipulate aether,” Hythlodaeus said before motioning to his altered form. “Which means you had something to do with this. By the way, Hades, you’re going to help me fix whatever _ this _change broke in my apartment—especially my favorite armchair.”

“Maybe after he fixes this apartment,” Eudora suggested. “We sort of did a number in here last night.”

Hades hummed in quiet agreement as he pushed himself to his feet with his larger hands, revealing he towered over Hythlodaeus. He swept his gaze over the dining room and what he could see of the kitchen. 

“I suppose if we do this again, we shouldn’t do it in the city.”

Hythlodaeus’ feathers ruffled at the other man’s calm tone; even his tail lashed behind him in annoyance, pushing the table away each time it struck the object.

“The two of you are taking this rather _ well _,” he said, crossing his arms. “I suppose that means you know how to change me back?”

“Of _ course _; it’s a simple matter of dissipating the aether gathered within you.”

“But don’t you think it’s… _ interesting _?” Eudora asked hesitantly, noting her lover’s wince. “This is another thing the two of you have in common.”

The men exchanged a silent glance. Hythlodaeus’ tail stilled; his feathers relaxed into place as all four wings drooped. Hades sighed and lifted one of his humanoid hands to snap. Aether swirled around the room, reverting the men to their regular forms and fixing the damage they had done to the apartment and their clothes—although she noticed her bruises were still there along with those on Hades’ shoulder. Both men helped Eudora to her feet.

“It is yet _ another _ coincidence,” Hades admitted. “I think it’s time for me to see if there is any information in the previous Halmarut’s case file from when he studied us as children. I should have full access to it now that I’m a Convocation member.”

Hythlodaeus offered a half-smile, but his shoulders remained slumped. Eudora hugged him and gently kissed him on the lips.

“I’m sorry I brought up the commonalities,” she said. “But you know that’s not what I meant.”

Before she could back away, Hades came up behind her and leaned over to kiss Hythlodaeus.

“Your _ other _ form is rather majestic,” he smirked. “I wonder how well you can fly with two pairs of wings.”

“Sounds like something we should _ definitely _ test outside the city. Maybe we should spend the weekend by the coast?” Eudora suggested. 

Hythlodaeus’ smile warmed at the suggestion and he embraced his lovers. He kissed each in turn before pulling them towards the kitchen.

“First things first: breakfast and I’m sure Hades is craving his coffee. After that, Hades and I are going back to my apartment to fix the damage there.”

Her husband quietly agreed as the trio began making breakfast.


	14. The Campaign

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a hardworking man is once again forced to relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For ForcedRedacted. (I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK FOREVER AND A DAY D: )

If there was one thing the current Emissary of the Convocation of Fourteen did not like, it was surprises. Elidibus had been surprised by the invitation he discovered upon his desk that afternoon. Therefore, he did not like it for _ two _ reasons. Firstly, because he had not expected it. Secondly, because he knew for a fact no one had entered his office. He initially suspected it to be another of Lahabrea’s ploys to get him to relax, but the Speaker adamantly denied it. Which left the Emissary staring dubiously at the mysterious invitation neatly written on white paper. 

It cordially requested his presence in the main conference room within the Bureau of the Architect at the fifth afternoon bell. Smaller print on the bottom informed him he should wear a civilian’s mask and could bring refreshments of his choice. 

No. Elidibus decidedly did not like it.

Half past the fourth afternoon bell, Lahabrea popped his head into the white-robed man’s office. The rest of him soon followed, approaching the Emissary’s desk with a bounce in his step.

"No," Elidibus said before his old friend could open his mouth.

Lahabrea’s grin twisted into a scowl. 

"You don’t even know why I came in."

"You were going to ask if I had decided to accept the invitation. My answer is ‘no’."

Huffing, the Speaker crossed his arms. A burst of aether closed the office door with a click. Lahabrea removed his mask to glare at Elidibus. The Emissary watched him with his typical neutral expression.

"And why not? You don’t know what the person has planned."

"That is _ precisely _ why. Much as I hate to say it, I don’t always trust Emet-Selch’s plans."

Lahabrea rolled his eyes.

"What’s he going to do, Orpheus? Kill you? You don’t even know that he was the one who sent it. Anyone in the Bureau could have done it. A bell ago, you thought it had been _ me _and I don’t even have full access to the Bureau, much less their conference room."

Elidibus silently slid a document across his desk along with the invitation. Lahabrea examined both while the Emissary explained.

"The handwriting is identical to Emet-Selch’s."

The unmasked man passed the papers back across the desk with a shrug.

"I’m sure it’s fine. Tems got an invite, too. He probably wants to have a small get together."

Elidibus studied the invitation with a faint frown before looking up at Lahabrea.

"Why didn’t _ you _ get one?"

Another shrug. 

"Whoever sent them out likely knows I'm busy. It _ is _ the end of the semester, after all. Even with aids, I'm up to my eyes in papers."

"And you're letting Tems go? Alone?"

"Tems is a grown woman," Lahabrea retorted with a smirk. "And she can kick even Lukos’ ass. I'm not worried about her. If you’re _ that _ concerned, you can ask her to protect you."

"No."

Lahabrea sighed heavily. A gentle knock at the door interrupted whatever he was about to say. He replaced his mask while Elidibus invited the person in.

Mitron entered and greeted the pair with a polite nod. The white-robed Emissary observed how claustrophobic the too-small space was beginning to feel. The newcomer held up a white invitation before motioning towards the one on Elidibus’ desk.

"I see you received one as well. To meet at the Bureau of the Architect at the fifth bell?"

Elidibus simply nodded towards Lahabrea in response. Mitron focused his attention on the Speaker.

"Did you receive one, too?" he asked Lahabrea.

"No, but Igeyorhm did."

"Is she going?"

"Going?" Lahabrea chuckled. "She left early to get beer."

Elidibus stifled a groan and dropped his head into his hands. The blond man’s chuckle deepened into a full-throated laugh.

"Should I not have said that, old friend?"

"Are you surprised, Elidibus?" Mitron asked. "Igeyorhm has never been one to turn down an invitation."

"Do you plan to go, Mitron?" Elidibus interjected before Lahabrea could pick a fight. "I, myself, am undecided."

The Emissary stood and rounded his desk, ushering both men from his office.

"I believe I will," came the hesitant reply as the trio stepped out. "At the very least, I would like to see who invited me—and it’s not as if I had anything planned for the evening."

Gears turned in Elidibus’ head. A glance at Lahabrea was enough for his old friend to guess his question. The black-robed man shook his head.

"No, she didn’t," Lahabrea whispered. 

His thoughts spun quicker as they entered the lift in silence.. Something seemed _ off _ about the entire situation. How did the host know their schedules? His personal schedule was a closely guarded secret; not even his Chief knew all of it. Was the mysterious host merely guessing? How did the invitation get into his office? The only person who had ever managed to get past his locks had been Lahabrea—which was why his suspicions had first fallen on the tenacious professor.

Much as Elidibus hated to admit it, his curiosity was piqued. He offered a polite smile to Mitron as the trio walked through the Capitol’s halls.

"I think I will join you after all," he said. "I am also curious as to who sent this invitation."

"You’ll have to let me know who sent the invitation, if Igeyorhm doesn’t first," Lahabrea announced as they parted ways on the ground floor. "And don’t party _ too _ hard, Elidibus! Remember, you’re an old man now."

Elidibus barely bit back the retort that sprang to his lips. His aether, however, lashed out and smacked Lahabrea when Mitron was distracted getting the door for them. Having succeeded in getting a rise out of him, his old friend merely laughed and waved goodbye before heading towards the Akadaemia. 

Elidibus summoned a cigarette to his hand. A tap on the end lit it as he walked to the Bureau of the Architect with Mitron. He hoped the smoke would calm him as they walked and spoke of simpler matters, such as the new cellist performing with the Amaurot Symphony Orchestra. Mitron noticed a shop on a nearby corner and ducked in to purchase a few bottles of wine for their evening. Finishing his cigarette as he waited, Elidibus remembered to change his mask and robes to the communal white and black. 

Mitron emerged from the shop shortly afterwards, purchase safely in hand. One look at the disguised Emissary reminded him of the invitation’s directions. His own robes and mask changed in the blink of an eye and the pair continued amicably on to the Bureau. 

They arrived a few minutes after the fifth bell; slightly late, much to Elidibus’ annoyance. The Bureau had officially closed for the day, however a clerk greeted the pair and held the door for them as she left. 

"The others are already waiting in the conference room," she informed them cheerily. "Do either of you know how to get there?"

"I do," replied Elidibus, thanking her for the offer as she departed. 

The pair exchanged a quick glance as they passed through the empty lobby. Voices drifted out of the hallway leading to the conference room. They stopped at the open door, only to be warmly welcomed by a purple-haired man wearing a white mask, a lavender dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a light grey vest with matching pants. Thanks to his time at the coastal Wildling settlement, Elidibus recognized him as Hythlodaeus.

"Excellent! Now we’re only waiting on one more," the man said as he took the wine from Mitron. "Come in! Come in! Make yourselves at home. Remove your robes and even your masks, if you like. And no titles; you are civilians tonight helping the Bureau of the Architect test a new concept, hence the reason I asked you to change your masks."

"You—" Mitron began before Elidibus cut him off with a hiss.

"_You _ sent out the invitations? How did you get it on my desk?"

"Impressive trick, wasn’t it? You don’t make it easy, Orpheus," Hythlodaeus responded with a smirk. "I hope your aides don’t have that hard a time getting correspondence to you. At least Chiron is easier to reach."

"How do you know my name?" Mitron asked, mouth set in a grim line. 

"You’ll find Daeus knows too many things he shouldn’t," Emet-Selch called from where he lounged in a chair with his feet on the table. He wore the same outfit as Hythlodaeus, but with a burgundy shirt and black vest instead of Hythlodaeus’ lavender and light grey. 

Elidibus’ eyes darted between the near-identical men. While Emet-Selch was as lean as ever, he noticed Hythlodaeus had gained some mass—just enough to ever so slightly distinguish him from his twin. The Emissary’s violet eyes narrowed behind his white mask as he recalled Emet-Selch’s visit to his office earlier that day. He had thought the Architect looked a little different at the time, but had dismissed the notion as the product of his lack of sleep the night before. 

The sound of pouring liquid and hushed whispers drew Elidibus’ attention away from the men to the two women standing at a table by the wall. The blonde wearing a soft pink blouse and grey skirt, he recognized as Shachar, while the woman beside her with long, dark blue hair, a burnt orange dress shirt, and black dress slacks he knew to be Igeyorhm. He recognized the shirt, in particular, as belonging to Lahabrea.

Igeyorhm smiled at him and crossed the room with two faintly luminescent green drinks, heels clicking against the marble floor. Shachar followed with two glasses of wine. One of the glasses she placed within Emet-Selch’s reach while the blue-haired woman offered Elidibus her bright green drink. He accepted it gracefully and sniffed the nearly glowing beverage. Immediately deciding against actually _ sampling _the beverage, Elidibus discretely set the drink on the table. Her eyes caught the action, however. She scowled at him; he offered a sincerely apologetic smile in return.

“Thank you, but you know that isn’t really my sort of drink.”

The woman slid it closer to herself in response and sipped from the one in her hand.

"Did you really have to come?" Igeyorhm hissed. "Now I owe Aris a bag of Morosian coffee."

"You know better than to bet with him," Elidibus whispered back, eyes following Mitron and Hythlodaeus as they carried the wine to the refreshments table. "Although it explains why he kept trying to convince me to accept the invitation."

Her blue eyes rolled in annoyance.

"Of course he did. I should have known he’d mess with the odds. Are you going to get comfortable?"

Elidibus glanced around the room to find Hythlodaeus the only one with his mask. Even Mitron had removed his mask and robes, revealing his short, fiery red hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a pale blue shirt with dark grey pants. The paisley tie vanished before he unbuttoned the collar and rolled up his sleeves. The man accepted a glass of wine from Hythlodaeus.

"Let me guess, you’re undecided?" Igeyorhm asked, interpreting his silence. 

"It wouldn’t feel right, leaving Hythlodaeus as the only one in a mask," Elidibus replied.

"It’s alright; Daeus prefers wearing his mask," Shachar chimed in from her seat.

The blonde had hopped onto the table by Emet-Selch’s chair. Elidibus caught a glimpse of the white-haired Architect’s hand on her leg. Emet-Selch stroked her leg once before removing his hand. The husband and wife exchanged a quick smile before Hythlodaeus interrupted the Emissary’s attention on the pair.

"Don’t worry on my account! By all means, do as you like, Orpheus. Hades, could you help me set things up while he settles in? We’re only waiting on one more."

Emet-Selch rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. A box appeared on the table along with a few sheets of paper. Igeyorhm tugged on the sleeve of Elidibus’ black robes and raised a delicately plucked eyebrow.

"Are you seriously not even going to remove your robes? Do you _ want _ me to tell Aris so we can conspire to force another vacation on you?"

"You wouldn’t, Tems."

"Try me, Orphy."

"Don’t call me that," he hissed, bristling like a displeased cat. 

The woman crossed her arms and sipped her drink, holding his gaze. She bore the same look in her eyes that he had seen time and again in those of his old friend, her long term boyfriend. If he focused, he could almost hear Aristotelis’ voice scolding him.

_ "You’re too uptight for a musician, Orpheus." _

Elidibus allowed himself a rare scowl. Leaning in so the others in the room wouldn’t hear him, he whispered a curt reply to Igeyorhm. 

"I refuse to be bullied into changing my mind, Artemis."

A knock interrupted the blue-haired woman’s retort. The six people within the room turned to face the door where a dark-skinned stranger stood, glancing at them curiously. Hythlodaeus beamed and hurried across the room, arms outstretched for a swiftly given embrace.

"Mel! I was beginning to _ worry_!"

"I’m sorry, Daeus. The audience kept demanding encore after encore. I hope I didn’t keep you."

Elidibus tensed upon hearing the woman’s melodic voice. Withdrawing from Hythlodaeus’ hug, the stranger removed her white mask and lowered her hood to reveal light brown eyes and dark brown hair that fell to her shoulders in thick curls. Hythlodaeus faced the others with one arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Not at all, my dear. Let me introduce you since the others are coworkers. Everyone, this is Mel. You’ve met Hades and Dori, of course. The gentleman holding the bottle of wine over there is Chiron and the lady with the unnaturally green drink is Artemis. The one still wearing his mask and robes is—"

"Orphy?"

Elidibus reflexively smiled at the sound of his nickname in her soft tones. In his peripheral, he caught Igeyorhym’s jaw drop in surprise. His eyes darted over to her in time to catch her lips curl into an amused smirk. She nodded knowingly and stepped away to chat with Mitron. He focused on Melpomene before fixing his smile in place. 

"Hello Mel. It’s been some time, hasn’t it? I didn’t know you were in town."

"A last minute addition to the tour," she replied, crossing the room. They met in a long, warm embrace. The singer then held him out at arm’s length. "Did you just get here? Aren’t you going to take all this off?"

"I… Yes, I just arrived," he said before dissipating his mask and robes to reveal the black dress shirt and white tie and slacks beneath. "How have you been?"

The woman chuckled. Her black robes vanished to reveal a white, form-fitting dress with a wide, black belt cinching her waist. The toes of a pair of black heels peeked out from the hem of her dress.

"You know how it is to be on tour. Or has the Emissary forgotten his previous life?" she added with a smirk.

"Ah ah ah!" Hythlodaeus interjected from where he was arranging papers at the table. "No titles, Mel. Please. We’re to be _ equals _ tonight."

Elidibus’ gaze lingered on the purple-haired man as he removed various small items wrapped in paper from the box. He caught the satisfied smirk on Hythlodaeus’ face just as the man turned around to set the box on the floor. Elidibus’ violet eyes widened in realization.

"Excuse me, Mel," he said before walking over to where the drinks had been arranged. "Hythlodaeus? Could you give me some advice on these drinks?"

The man nodded and joined him at the table pushed against the far wall.

"What are you plotting, Hythlodaeus?" Elidibus asked in a low voice.

"Odd, normally Hades is the one asking me that question," the man mused. He plucked a bottle of beer from the assorted beverages and opened it for Elidibus. "What makes you think I’m plotting something?"

He accepted the proffered drink before explaining his thoughts.

"You managed to sneak an invitation into my office _ despite _ my safeguards to an event on the one night this week where I have nothing planned. An event to which my old partner—whom I have not seen in _ decades _—just so happens to have been invited."

"Ah, yes," Hythlodaeus noted with a solemn nod. "What a lovely coincidence, don’t you think? The two of you can catch up while we try out the game."

Elidibus glanced at the familiar singer over his shoulder. She had wandered over to chat with Shachar and Emet-Selch while he was occupied. He ran a hand over his short, slicked back, black hair before focusing on Hythlodaeus.

"You have not answered my question. What are you planning? What will happen tonight?"

A smile spread across Hythlodaeus’ face. Amusement radiated from the masked man as he poured some whiskey into a glass.

"Orpheus. You, more than anyone, should know how hard it would have been for me to plan _ anything _ of the sort you seem to be implicating. For one, it hinges on you accepting the invitation. I must admit I felt the odds heavily stacked against me, but I thought you might find tonight’s game amusing and so extended the invitation.

"Secondly, I would have had to know well in advance that Melpomene would just so happen to have an early performance this afternoon as opposed to her typical evening concerts—to say nothing of predicting that Amaurot would be added to her tour schedule as she rarely visits the city.

"And lastly, if you wish to know what I have planned for tonight, then kindly join me at the table and I will tell you."

Hythlodaeus clinked his glass against the neck of Elidibus’ beer bottle. The mischievously smiling man rounded the narrow-eyed Emissary, calling the others to take their seats at the table. Elidibus continued glaring after Hythlodaeus as Melpomene sauntered up to join him.

"You look as stressed as ever, Orphy," she observed. "How is your new life treating you?"

"As to be expected, although sometimes I think I’d rather return to the stage," he murmured, handing her the open bottle of beer. "Things were simpler as a pianist."

Melpomene smirked and sipped the drink while Elidibus grabbed another for himself. 

"Even way back at the start? The two of us performing in any back alley bar that would pay us?"

"Eating whatever greasy scraps they had because our money had to go into renting a hole in the wall," Elidibus added with a smile. "Yes, even back then."

"But this is what you _ wanted _."

"It is. There are only specific times I wish to return to performing."

"Do those times involve interacting with a certain tall, purple-haired fellow?"

Elidibus rolled his eyes, visible without his mask.

"Luckily there is not much need for me to interact with him; Emet-Selch is the one I deal with on a more regular basis. How do _ you _know him?"

"Daeus? He’s a distant friend of a very good friend. He invited me to this when he heard I would be in town; apparently he thought it would be a nice distraction from my usual activities." 

"Come on you two," Hythlodaeus called, motioning to the two remaining seats at the table. 

Melpomene cocked her head towards the chairs in invitation. Nodding, Elidibus silently followed her lead to take the seat beside her. 

At each placement was a paper, a pencil, and one of the paper-wrapped objects. Hythlodaeus sat himself at the head of the rectangular table, overseeing all. He swirled his drink once—ominously, it seemed to Elidibus—and took a small sip before explaining.

"Earlier this year, during the spring recess, a group of children visited the Bureau. They wished to register a concept they had created for a new game. It would involve the _ imagination _ and allow others to, essentially, take on the role of someone they were not."

"Like playing pretend?" Shachar asked from her seat beside Emet-Selch.

"Precisely like that. A goal would then be presented and those assembled must work together to achieve it. The catch is that you are restricted to certain limits particular to each character. One player is tasked to be the director of events, who will then guide the other players through the world and to their goal."

"Like a play in the theatre?" Mitron offered.

Seated next to him, Igeyorhm suggested an alternative comparison.

"Or a story you would tell children."

"Only you are an active participant instead of a spectator. You should try to put yourself in the shoes of your given character and act the way _ they _ would. Ideally each of you would create your character, but I took the liberty of doing that ahead of time. Each of you has a little figure to represent you in the game.” Hythlodaeus gestures to the wrapped objects placed in front of each seat. “The papers contain your character’s information such as name, origin, classification, and statistics. Please, take a look at your figurines, I’m especially proud of how they turned out."

Sitting on Hythlodaeus’ right, Shachar immediately snatched hers up and tore open the paper. She cooed at the carved and painted wooden figure nestled in her hands. It featured a blonde woman wearing a beige tunic with darker leggings and boots. A satchel hung from the belt at her waist as she leaned on a quarterstaff. 

"Oh, Daeus! This looks just like—"

"You in your Wildling clothes," Emet-Selch noted. 

The Architect reached over and carefully unwrapped his figurine to reveal a man with long, white hair wearing a black coat over a dark purple shirt and black slacks. He held a violet crystal staff in his right hand. A red design decorated the left sleeve of his coat. Emet-Selch peered closer at the figure, gingerly turning it over in his hands.

"This is amazing, Daeus," he murmured. "You even painted the claws gold."

"Of course," Hythlodaeus chirped. He turned his gaze to the others. 

To the purple-haired man’s left, Mitron and Igeyorhm had already opened their respective figurines. Mitron’s also eerily resembled him and wore a white robe with gold and pale blue details. His figurine’s right hand held a glass orb containing green swirls. Igeyorhm held a miniature replica of herself wearing a furred coat and flat-footed boots up to her thighs. The figurine brandished a heavy crossbow in both hands. A brown hare sat between her spread legs, ears up and head tilted as if it were sniffing the air.

The woman shrieked with laughter. Tears welled up in her eyes as she buried her head in the crook of her arm and held the figure aloft. 

"This can’t be a coincidence!" she cried between cackles. "How do you _ know _?!"

"How indeed," Mitron said quietly, brows drawn close together as he studied his figure. "These are my doctor’s robes from Thalassa."

Elidibus glanced down at the wrapped object in front of him. A quiet fear prickled at the edge of his consciousness. Beside him, Melpomene took hers and unwrapped it. Unwilling to show his hesitance, Elidibus followed suit.

He should have expected it; their figurines _ matched _. The hair of his figurine was longer than he had worn it in years, but still combed back and gathered in a neat ponytail at the base of its neck. The figurine wore a simple, dark green tunic with brown leggings, boots, and a worn hooded cape. One hand was extended in a welcoming gesture while the other cradled an eighth note carved from amethyst. 

Melpomene’s figurine wore the exact same outfit as his, fitted to her figure. Hair gathered into a high ponytail as opposed to her current loose locked look, the carved curls cascaded to just above its shoulders. It bore an axe in each hand, but one was perched on its shoulder.

Elidibus exchanged a look with his old partner. Her eyebrows were arched over widened eyes. They used to wear similar outfits in their forest home; something no one outside the confines of the Wood even _ knew _. 

As one, they turned their attention to Hythlodaeus who was watching the pair with a knowing smirk, chin propped on his hands and mischief exuding from every pore. Elidibus bit back the urge to fling the figurine at the man's face and demand the names of his informants. Instead, he calmly inspected the craftsmanship.

"This must have taken you some time," he observed. 

"Ages," he confessed. "Hades can confirm that I've been a little withdrawn lately. This would be why."

"I think you've teased us long enough," Emet-Selch announced. "How do we play?"

"Read the papers in front of you; they hold the details of your character. Try to familiarize yourselves with the listed abilities and I'll begin."

The table did as he said. Intermittent comments passed between them, revealing their character’s abilities. Shachar was a Wildling shapeshifter, which meant she could change form to help the others. Emet-Selch was an Amaurotine sorcerer with a variety of spells at his disposal. Mitron was a Thalassian doctor, capable of healing injuries with his mastery of the Lifestream. Igeyorhm was a ranger from the mountain city of Boreas. Outside of her skill with the crossbow, her abilities tended towards surviving in harsh climates and the Wild.

Elidibus tensed as he read his character's information. He had gone to great lengths to keep his birth city a secret, considering how other cities looked down on those from the forest city of Oxylus as backwater, superstitious simpletons. Yet there it was in black and white: Orpheus, an Oxylusian street performer. His character's skills tended towards music and charming others. A glance at Melpomene's sheet told him hers was also eerily accurate. Her character was an Oxylusian axewoman with skills focused on overwhelming the enemy with quick blows.

He glanced at Hythlodaeus out of the corner of his eye. The man was sipping his whiskey and watching the others exchange comments. A realization struck the Emissary—along with one of his few regrets.

_ I should have fought the last Emet-Selch for this boy when his application for Chief crossed my desk. _

"Is everyone ready?" Hythlodaeus asked as the comments died down. "Very well then, listen close."

A call had gone out for _ adventurers _ , ("What does that even _ mean _?" Emet-Selch asked loudly. Shachar hushed him.) to hunt a Creation that had escaped from one of the Akadaemia's satellite campuses. Their six characters were the first to answer the call and arrive at the site. The headmaster greeted them ("This woman sounds like Aris' predecessor," Igeyorhm noted under her breath.) and pointed the group in the direction of the Creation's last known location.

Hythlodaeus then gave them a choice to either explore the campus or head straight to their target. Emet-Selch and Igeyorhm both wanted to immediately go after the Creation. Mitron and Elidibus both thought it more prudent to gather information within the campus. Shachar and Melpomene were undecided.

“Can we split the group?” Shachar asked. 

Hythlodaeus smiled and nodded.

“You can do as you like.”

“If we split the group, then Emet-Selch and Igeyorhm would be without a healer,” Elidibus noted.

“No titles, Orpheus,” Hythlodaeus scowled.

“We’re _ equals _ tonight, remember?” Igeyorhm teased from Elidibus’ left.

His eyes narrowed at the reminder before he sighed and leaned back in his seat. He focused his gaze on each in turn as he rephrased his concern.

“I do not believe either _ Hades _ or _ Tems _ should be without a healer. Could the two of you not wait to see if we gather any information that could help you?”

The pair he addressed exchanged a surprised look while Melpomene spoke up at his side.

“Orphy has a point. Attacking the creature would be easier if we knew what to expect. I think we _ should _ gather more information.”

Everyone at the table turned their attention to Shachar. Hythlodaeus sipped his drink while the blonde nearly ducked under the table to avoid the direct attention. Her silver eyes nervously darted to the side.

“Maybe we should get some more information,” she murmured, more to Emet-Selch than the rest of the group. “It’s our first time playing this and I would feel more comfortable going in fully prepared.”

Emet-Selch sighed, dramatically throwing his hands up and following the motion with a heavy shrug.

“Oh very _ well _ . Daeus, someone on this campus better tell us _ precisely _ how to kill this thing.”

Hythlodaeus set aside his drink with a smirk. He glanced to Igeyorhm for her defeated nod of confirmation before resuming his narration.

A student had overheard the group speaking with the headmaster. They directed the adventurers to the Department of Biological Creation, specifically to the Biodiversity professor. According to the student, the professor had been studying the creature before its escape—and had even dissected one of its kind. 

On their way to speak with the professor, they passed the Halls of Healing. Hythlodaeus informed them they could hear screams echoing from within despite the closed doors. 

“Well isn’t that _ promising _,” Emet-Selch murmured. “Who’s screaming and why?”

Hythlodaeus shrugged and took a sip of whiskey.

“One or two of you could go look,” he suggested with a smirk.

“_Now _ you’re ok with splitting up the party?!” Igeyorhm spat. 

He innocently held up his hands while Shachar responded.

“We _ are _ still within the campus. We should be safe here,” she reasoned and glanced sideways at the purple-haired man. “Right, Daeus?”

“There’s only one way to find out, isn’t there Dori?” he replied smoothly.

Emet-Selch narrowed his eyes as he studied his twin.

“Why don’t I trust you?”

“Because you have trust issues, my dearest Hades. Would anyone like to investigate the source of the screams?” he continued, ignoring the blatant glare Emet-Selch shot him.

“I suppose I’ll go in,” Mitron replied with a sigh. “My character is a healer, after all. I should be able to help them at the very least.”

“I’ll go in, too,” said Shachar. “The rest of you should probably go on to the professor.”

The others hesitantly agreed with the plan. Hythlodaeus continued narrating as they reached their decision. 

Addressing the majority of the group first, he informed them that they continued to the building containing the Department of Biological Creation where the group found the professor in his office. The man was reluctant to talk to them, despite Emet-Selch insisting they were there only to learn about the escaped Creation. 

While the two argued—and Shachar tried to step in, only to be reminded she wasn’t currently with the group—Elidibus glanced down at his character’s information. One of the abilities caught his eye. He cleared his throat, catching Hythlodaeus’ attention.

“May I use an ability out of combat?” he asked.

Hythlodaeus grinned.

“Much like in real life, Orpheus, you are welcome to use your abilities whenever you wish.”

“Would it be viewed as a hostile action?”

“How would you interpret someone interrupting an angry sorcerer to try and charm you?”

Elidibus felt his lips set into a straight line. To his right, Melpomene gently nudged him and whispered a few words of encouragement. After a moment, he let out a deep sigh through his nose.

“I intercede on Emet—_Hades’ _ behalf and attempt to smooth things over with the professor.”

Hythlodaeus slowly smiled and leaned forward in his seat to rest his elbows on the table.

“And what does the Oxylusian street performer have to say?” he asked.

“I apologize for my colleague’s behavior. Sorcerers are renowned for their abilities, not their social skills.”

“Ex-_cuse _you?!” Hades snarled.

Eudora quietly rested her hand on his clenched fist and whispered a few words in his ear. The white-haired Architect reluctantly relaxed in his seat, but his glowing gold eyes bore into Orpheus, who ignored him to continue addressing Hythlodaeus as if he were the professor.

“We seek only to prevent any casualties that would result from the Creation roaming free. It would not help the campus’ reputation in the slightest should word get out that something escaped and terrorized the citizens of any nearby towns. Will you not aid us by giving us any information you may have concerning the creature?”

“Eloquently put,” Hythlodaeus murmured with a smirk before switching to the airy voice he had donned for the professor. “I shall accept your apology, Oxylusian. Come, all of you. I will show you my notes on the creature.”

He suddenly grinned at Chiron and Eudora. 

“And now for the two of _ you_.”

Hythlodaeus explained to the pair that within the Halls of Healing, they encountered a wounded researcher being tended to by the staff. When Chiron indicated that he wished to help, one of the doctors pulled the pair aside. He quietly informed them that the man had been injured when the Creation escaped, raked by the creature’s claws. The wounds have resisted all attempts at healing—both from their spells and the body’s own natural course. They manage to dull the pain enough to let the man rest, but it is fitful and he wakes up screaming.

“Can I ask the professor for the name of whoever created this damned thing so I can _ throw _ them to it?” Hades interjected. “Who allowed them to make a creature that can inflict unhealable wounds?!”

“You cannot because you don’t know this is going on,” Hythlodaeus replied. “You can’t hear this conversation because you’re with the professor.”

Hades grumbled under his breath while Eudora asked if they had any plans to help the injured man. The doctor confessed they were at a loss. Chiron and Eudora exchanged a worried look across the table.

“Any thoughts, Eudora?” Chiron asked. “I must say that my own abilities do not exceed those of the staff here, but perhaps the Wildlings have knowledge unknown to us?”

Eudora crossed her arms and brought her thumb up to nibble on it. Her silver eyes skimmed over the sheet in front of her. After a moment, she shook her head. They thanked the man and left the Halls of Healing to meet with the rest of the group. 

Hythlodaeus leaned back in his seat to address the table still speaking with the professor. Adopting the man’s voice, he explained that the academics did not know who created the monster, but he could describe it to them. The creature was quadrupedal in nature and stood nine fulms high at the shoulder. Distinguishing features included a bird’s head with the body of a lion, bat wings, and a venomous stinger for a tail. It seemed that a toxin present in both its tail and claws blocked any sort of healing.

“They are to be avoided unless you wish to end up like my colleague in the Halls of Healing,” he finished.

“But it seems there was more than one of these creatures,” Melpomene interjected. “The student we met said the professor dissected one.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Hythlodaeus responded as the professor. “There are no records of this creature. It suddenly sprang into existence, mauled a researcher, destroyed half the laboratory, and escaped.”

Melpomene scowled at the reply. 

“I don’t think I trust him. Why would the student lie?”

Hythlodaeus smiled at Melpomene’s comment. He produced a small die from his pocket and rolled it across the table at her. 

“Roll that. If you get above a certain number, you may learn more information.”

She took it in her hand and did so. The die rattled on the table and landed on a ten. Hythlodaeus shrugged at the result.

“Are you truly going to believe a student over a professor? We just had exams; the student likely scored poorly—or even outright failed—and now wish to pin some blame on me in revenge.”

Melpomene frowned and crossed her arms at the professor’s snappish answer.

“I still don’t trust him. I don’t buy it.”

“There’s nothing you can do now,” Hythlodaeus noted in his normal voice with amusement peeking through his failed attempt at a straight face. “A higher number would have gotten you more information.”

“But I can’t control that!”

“No one can; it’s what makes the game more balanced,” he explained before continuing his narration.

The professor went on to explain that the creature attacked by striking with its beak and lashing out with its forelegs and tail. It was capable of flight thanks to its wings, but did not seem very evasive in the air, which led the professor to believe it would be easy to keep grounded. He felt their main concerns should be avoiding the beast’s claws and stinger.

Before they could ask any further questions, the professor shooed them out of the department just in time for their remaining two companions to arrive. Hythlodaeus gave the group a chance to exchange information and create a plan while he stood to refill his drink.

As a whole, the table felt ready to hunt down the creature and agreed they should kill instead of capture it. The warnings gave them pause, however, as they now knew what a single scratch could do. Melpomene and Eudora eventually offered to distract the creature while the others attacked it from a distance. Orpheus disagreed with the plan of action, and received a surprised look from the others at the table for his troubles.

“I merely believe an attack like that to be unnecessary,” he explained. “It would place Eudora and Mel at undue risk. Why not attempt to stealthily kill the creature? Surely Hades or Tems could kill it from afar, especially with their combined abilities.”

“But what if our attacks aren’t enough to stop it?” Artemis asked to his left. “What if it wakes up and charges Hades and myself?”

“_T__hen _ Mel and Eudora could intercept. Chiron could stand by to heal any injuries.”

“And what do you plan to do?” Hades asked, crossing his arms.

Orpheus glanced down at his sheet. He studied it once more before replying.

“I’m not sure that I could be useful in a fight,” he replied. “My abilities seem to be geared towards interacting with sentient creatures.”

“You _ do _ have a few weapons, Orpheus,” Hythlodaeus said as he took his place at the table with his drink and a handful of peanuts. “And I made sure to give you a spell you could use repeatedly to attack.”

The purple-haired man offered the handful of nuts to Eudora while Orpheus checked his abilities a second time. Sure enough, he discovered that his character had a set of throwing knives. There was also had a spell that damaged any enemy within earshot of him. He glanced up to find Eudora picking peanuts from the man's hand.

"I suppose I will join you and Tems with attacking from afar," he informed Hades. 

“Even Chiron can help,” Hythlodaeus added. “He should have a way to attack, too.”

The doctor made a surprised sound before studying the paper in front of him. 

“Would you look at that? I do.”

“So, what’s your plan?” Hythlodaeus asked the table, tossing the remaining peanuts into his mouth.

“I suppose we’ll try Orpheus’ stealthy approach,” Hades sighed. “If it goes to shit, Dori and Melpomene can rush in to intercept the creature before it claws us to death.”

The purple-haired narrator nodded. He tossed the die to Artemis and asked her to roll it. Sixteen. Hythlodaeus informed the table that, thankfully, the creature had fled the campus by land rather than flying and that Artemis had picked up its trail. 

The group followed the tracks through the forest outside until they reached a river where Hythlodaeus informed them the trail stopped. He gave each of them the die in turn and noted their results. Eudora rolled a three. Hades a ten. Melpomene a twelve. Orpheus a one. Artemis a nine. And, finally, Chiron a six. 

Hythlodaeus pointed the end of his pen at Melpomene, Hades, and Artemis. 

“The three of you notice broken branches in the canopy above. You agree that the creature must have flown up and determine the direction it must have gone in.” His pen shifts to Orpheus. “_Y__ou,_ however, slipped in the mud on the riverbank when you were looking around and got some in your eyes. Chiron helps you to the river to wash the mud out and restore your vision.”

The table followed the other three upstream where they discovered a cave. Hythlodaeus asked them to roll and announced that all of them noticed tracks leading into the cave. 

“Would anyone like to volunteer to see if the creature is inside?”

Eudora perked up and lifted a finger. 

“I can do it! I’ll turn into an owl and fly in. I shouldn’t have any problems.”

Without being prompted, the woman took the die and rolled it. Hythlodaeus’ lips twisted with amusement at the three that stared back at them. He silently took the die and rolled it—only to laugh at the four he received. Eudora quietly frowned at him.

“Please don’t kill me, Daeus.”

He smirked at her before informing the table that she successfully turned into an owl. Eudora then silently entered the cave only to find it darker than she had anticipated. Mid-flight, she struck something large and covered in fur. (“_Please _ Daeus! It was one roll!”) Luckily the creature was sleeping. Unfortunately, for her, it rolled onto its side, trapping her under its wing. Eudora dropped forward in her seat, cradling her head in her arms.

“I hate you, Daeus.”

“No you don’t, my dearest.” His lips quirked into a half-smile before addressing the others. “Minutes pass and there is no sign of Dori. What do the rest of you do?”

The others at the table exchanged concerned looks. 

“We go in after her,” Hades replied as if it were obvious.

“We should proceed with the plan,” Orpheus noted. “That she hasn’t come out indicates the creature is in there.”

The pair of men argued for a moment before Hythlodaeus rolled a die. The sound of the rattling object stopped them as they watched it land on a seven. Six pairs of eyes turned to the purple-haired man for an explanation. He flashed an innocent smile at them that tugged at something in the back of Orpheus’ mind.

“You’re wasting time. I need an answer.”

Hades sighed in annoyance. 

“Let’s go. Do we roll?”

“Please do.”

Hythlodaeus notes down each of the rolls. 

“Hades, Chiron, and Artemis silently steal into the cave with Mel behind them. Orpheus, you accidentally kick a pebble on your way in, drawing a glare from those ahead of you.”

An annoyed sound rose and died in Orpheus’ throat as Hythlodaes continued.

“In the darkness of the cave, you see the large shadow of the creature that escaped. It’s sleeping on its side, one membraned wing partially unfolded onto the trapped form of an owl. The bird hoots quietly when it sees you. Do you carry out your plan?”

The table agreed to proceed. Hythlodaeus told those preparing to attack to roll the die. Orpheus sighed in defeat and stared unhappily at the three he rolled before flicking the die to Artemis. Melpomene gently pat his hand as Artemis rolled her die. 

“I guess it doesn’t like you,” she whispered.

“Don’t rub it in,” he murmured, but smiled at her nonetheless.

“Alright,” said Hythlodaeus. “Hades, Chiron, and Artemis, please roll again to see how much damage you inflicted. I _ am _ sorry, Orpheus, but you missed.”

“Surprise, surprise,” he sighed.

The others rolled. A pleased grin spread across Hythlodaeus’ face when he saw the twenty in front of Artemis.

“The three of you manage to deal 42 points of damage to the creature. Artemis, your arrow flies directly into its eye, blinding it. The creature wakes up with a furious screech and flaps its wings, freeing Dori, but also honing in on the rest of you. Roll to see what order you go in.”

Hythlodaeus waited and rolled the die one more time after jotting everything down. Producing another carved figurine that resembled the creature they were fighting he set it in the center of the table. He arranged the group at some distance from it and placed Eudora’s beside that of the creature.

“The figures represent where everyone is located. Please be aware of the range of your attacks and that, should you miss, your attack may injure an ally.” He smiled at Hades and Eudora. “The two of you go first due to your rolls. What do you choose to do?”

“It’s too close to Dori. I’ll bind it with shadows,” the Architect scowled and rolled.

Hythlodaeus glanced at the result before rolling for the creature. He cocked his head to one side.

“You feel the spell is less effective than usual, the spell manages to hold it for one turn instead of the full three. Dori?”

“I’ll turn into a giant lynx and swipe at it.”

They each rolled, and Hythlodaeus shook his head ominously.

“You shift into a lynx almost as large as the creature itself. However you’re disoriented by the sudden change in height, and your attack misses.” He glanced at Orpheus. “Your turn.”

“Considering my knife missed, I’d like to try this spell,” he announced.

Dreading another low roll, Orpheus hesitantly took the die and rolled it. He raised an eyebrow at the thirteen and watched Hythlodaeus roll a nine. The other man openly smiled at him.

“You hit. Roll to see how much damage you do.”

Cheered by the past two high rolls, he took the die. Cheer most expertly dashed, he glared at the three taunting him. He immediately felt like flicking it across the conference room out of spite. Even Hythlodaeus’ smile fell at the abrupt change of fortune. The man removed his mask, revealing the regret on his bared face. The majority at the table stilled at the sight of the unmasked man; having seen Hythlodaeus’ face for the first time. As one, they glanced at Hades while the purple-haired man ignored their reactions and continued.

“At least you hit?” Hythlodaeus offered, setting his white mask on the table with a gentle click. “Unfortunately, you only did three points of damage. Artemis?”

The blue-haired woman stared at him for a moment, eyes darting between the visually indistinguishable twins before she shook her head and grabbed the die.

“I shoot the creature.”

Hythlodaeus announced that she hit and she rolled again. They both flinched when they saw her resulting two. Chiron followed with a wind spell that tore into the creature’s hide. Melpomene charged forward and dealt a few points of damage with her axes. And then, Hythlodaeus took the die in his hands.

“It would normally be the creature’s turn, but it’s bound by Hades’ spell so the turns start over with him.”

Hades cast a spell that shot knives made of shadow across the cave. They buried themselves deep into the creature. Eudora swiped again at the creature, gouging deep scratches into its flank. Orpheus cast his spell again, muddling the creature’s senses with his song. Artemis loosed another arrow, this time maiming one of its wings. Chiron’s spell shredded the other wing with its intensity. Melpomene finished the creature off with her axes.

“Your enemy falls before you, blood gushing from its wounds and wheezes its final breath. You’ve won.”

Hythlodaeus beamed at them as they expressed victory around the table. Artemis, Chiron, Melpomene, and Eudora cheered. Orpheus sighed in relief and Hades slumped back in his seat. Hythlodaeus asked if they wished to take a trophy to prove they defeated the creature, and Artemis agreed, sawing the stinger from the tale to throw in a bag as proof. The group of adventurers returned to the campus and presented their proof to the professor, who rewarded them with money and equipment from the Department of Research & Development in return. 

Hythlodaeus sighed in quiet relief before smiling at the table, fingers lightly drumming on the mask in front of him.

“What do you think? Does the concept work?”

“Stars _ above, _I forgot this was only a concept,” Melpomene cried.

“It would require tweaking,” Hades said, running a hand through his hair. “But it has potential. I’ll sign the form once you put it on my desk.”

Hythlodaeus’ pale eyes scanned the table as the others gave positive feedback. A smile lit up his face at the optimistic reception. 

“I’ll draft a letter for the children in the morning, then, informing them that the concept will be refined with their input and licensed. Your character’s figurines are yours to keep; consider them a gift. As for tonight, however, what do you say we finish these drinks?”

Artemis was the first one to her feet and heading to the beverage counter, tugging at Chiron’s sleeve. The red-headed man followed her with little protest while Orpheus noticed Hades exchange a whisper with Eudora. The Architect smiled at his wife, and gently caressed her hand before joining the other two at the drinks table. Turning to his neighbor, Elidibus watched as Melpomene stretched in her seat and picked up her figurine.

“Thank you for the invitation, Daeus, but I really have to call it a night. My tour manager would kill me if I missed the train tomorrow morning.”

The barefaced man’s expression fell at the news, but he circled the table to give her a hug regardless.

“Safe travels, then, Mel. I do hope to see you perform the next time you’re in the area.”

She smiled at him as her black robes and white mask materialized on her form with a theatrical swirl of aether.

“I’ll try to get you some tickets. Would two be enough?”

“Three,” Orpheus corrected, standing to join them and slipped his figurine into a pocket. “Hythlodaeus would need _ three _ tickets.”

Melpomene glanced back at him, lips rounded in understanding. She faced Hythlodaeus and nodded.

“Three, then. I’ll make a note of it.”

A faint blush tinged the purple-haired man’s face as he quietly thanked her. Embarrassed, he nervously lifted a hand to scratch where the edge of his mask typically sat. Orpheus rounded his chair and approached Melpomene, tapping her wrist to pause her departure before she could walk away.

“I will also call it an early night, Hythlodaeus. Although I _ do _ have quite a few questions for you, they can wait for another day.”

“I believe I already know their direction,” replied the man, quickly regaining his composure. “I will let you know when I am available to visit your office. I’ll even promise to wear my own mask and robes, this time. Good night, Orpheus.”

Orpheus allowed himself a frown, but nodded at the man’s terms. Anonymous black robes appeared over his clothes and he placed a white mask on his face as he left the conference room with Melpomene. 

Once outside the Bureau of the Architect, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. His old friend and performing companion laughed at the sound.

“So you _ do _ remember how to relax,” she teased. 

Orpheus smiled to himself and veered inward as they walked, bumping his hip against hers. She laughed, a melodic sound in the quiet evening, and bumped him right back. 

“Where are you staying, Mel?” he asked softly.

“Some hotel near the concert hall,” she replied. “Why?”

Orpheus, the current Elidibus of the Convocation of Fourteen and Emissary, who routinely stared down foreign dignitaries and nobles while calmly outlining the reasons these powerful figures were simply wrong, blushed at the question. 

He glanced away from her, instead choosing to study one of the spires that towered over them. Taking a deep breath to brace himself, he tilted his head towards her to ask his question.

“Would you prefer to spend the night somewhere more homey?”

A hand gently wrapped itself around his. Their fingers gently threaded together as Melpomene smiled beneath her mask.

“Took you long enough to ask, Orphy.”

He brought their linked hands up to his lips and lightly brushed them against the back of her hand with a smile. Continuing past the train station, their feet turned together down a street leading them to the residential district. 


	15. Wardrobe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a bet is won.

“Hythlodaeus!!”

The purple-haired man’s name echoed through the apartment and into his office. It disrupted the serenity created by the soft jazz playing from the record by his desk. Hythlodaeus bit the inside of his lip to keep from laughing.

“What is it, dear Hades?” he called back, setting aside his pen and leaning over to turn off the record player.

His lover stormed into the office wearing a black, silk robe. A trio of hangars hung from his fist. From each dangled a bright-colored shirt with floral patterns. Hythlodaeus took a deep breath through his nose to keep from laughing in the angry man’s face. When he felt certain his voice wouldn’t break, he spoke.

“Ah, changing your wardrobe for summer, are you? I’m glad to see you embracing a wider color palette.”

Hades snarled his name. His golden eyes glared at Hythlodaeus in equal parts annoyance and anger as he threw the shirts on the Bureau Chief’s desk. Papers scattered into the air which Hythlodaeus watched with a resigned sigh. The white-haired Architect slammed his hands on the desk.

“Where. Are. My. _ Clothes _,” Hades demanded through clenched teeth.

Hythlodaeus pushed his seat back to gain some distance between himself and his angered lover. He lowered his gaze to the floral shirts, tracing the outline of a palm leaf with his eyes, before looking up at Hades.

“What are you implying?” he asked calmly.

For a moment, Hythlodaeus feared his lover would begin foaming at the mouth. Anger surged through their bond just as Hades snatched the other man’s wrist and dragged him across the lobby into the residential side of the floor.

His lover flung him into the bedroom before pointing at his open closet. In place of Hades’ typically dark and somber clothes hung an array of bright, cheerful fabrics. Each one clamored for Hythlodaeus’ attention; some even glimmered in the morning light spilling through the open window. He approached to pull out a painfully bright pink shirt patterned with lime green parrots. His fingers toyed with the short sleeve as he glanced at Hades over his shoulder.

“I know I told you to get some brighter outfits, but don’t you think this is a touch overkill? You’re likely to blind someone if you go out in this.”

“I don’t know _ how _ but I know you’re the one to blame!” Hades snapped. “Fix it! I want my clothes back, Daeus!”

“Why not just dissolve these into aether and reform them into your clothes?” Hythlodaeus countered.

Hades’ jaw clenched as the purple-haired man walked over to him with the pink shirt in hand. He held it against Hades’ chest and leaned back to get a better view.

“No… pink is more my color than yours, isn’t it?” he murmured softly, ignoring his partner’s steady glare.

A finger jabbed into his shoulder, forcing him back as Hades snatched the shirt and threw it to the bed.

“You can’t use aether unless I lend you some. Where did you get these clothes from? Where are _ my _ clothes?!”

“What makes you so sure I did this?” he countered.

“Because no one else has a key to this apartment!”

“Dori does.”

“Dori _ wouldn’t _!”

“And you assume _ I _ would? That’s hardly-”

“You switched my coffee labels for half a moon!” Hades hissed. “_ Twice _.”

Hythlodaeus softly chuckled at the memory. He turned to face the closet, golden eyes landing on a sky blue shirt decorated with white clouds. The man silently pulled it out to reveal pale yellow flowers painted along the bottom half. He held it out to Hades.

“You need to pick _ something _ to wear,” he warned. “Unless you plan to attend the Convocation meeting wearing nothing beneath your robes. I’m sure Elidibus and Dori would have some things to say—for entirely contrary reasons.” 

Hades glared at the shirt. Hythlodaeus nearly expected the other man to snap his fingers and set fire to the garment. Instead, it was snatched out of his grip while Hades shrugged out of the robe.

“I still want to know how you did this in _ one night _,” the Architect spat.

“You give me too much credit, dearest Hades,” he replied, lightly kissing the man on the lips. “I promise you, it would take more than a single night for me to hide your clothes and replace them with whatever these can be called.”

Hythlodaeus glanced around the room until his eyes fell on the laundry hamper. A blindingly bright orange shirt partially hung out of it. He raised an eyebrow and lifted the lid to reveal a motley of colors within. 

“Are you _ sure _ this wasn’t someone who could freely manipulate aether?” Hythlodaeus asked as he lifted up an offensively green shirt. He carefully sniffed it, catching a whiff of Hades’ floral scent. “I wouldn’t have thought to go so far as to switch out the clothes in your dirty laundry. It’s possible these are your clothes, but their appearance was simply altered. Can’t you trace the aetheric signature?”

His lover’s annoyance bled into their connection as Hades pulled on a pair of white pants. Hythlodaeus’ eyebrows lifted, taking in the combination of the shirt and slacks. He smiled in appreciation of how the fabric hugged his lean partner and made a mental note to find more clothes in that cut. He sensed Hades focus his attention on the clothes. After a moment, the other man shook his head in defeat.

“It’s no use; my aether blankets everything. I sense traces of yours and Dori’s, but that could just as easily be due to us sharing the space.”

Hythlodaeus smiled and reassuringly stroked the bond between them.

“You should leave before you’re late for the meeting. I’ll put my feelers out and see if anyone has seen your clothes. It should be easy enough to spot that much black and crimson.”

Hades grumbled under his breath, but summoned his robes and mask onto his body. The black cloth easily swallowed up the colors of the clothing beneath it. Hythlodaeus adjusted his partner’s hood, tucking the stray strands of his long, white hair out of sight. 

Hades’ scowl softened at the gesture. He caught Hythlodaeus’ hand and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. 

“I’ll see you tonight. Don’t forget that Lukos and Lahabrea are joining us for dinner.”

“_ Aristotelis _,” Hythlodaeus corrected. “He was very clear that his name is to be used when he visits. I’ll make sure everything is ready by the time the four of you arrive.”

Together, they walked to the apartment entrance. Hades slipped out while Hythlodaeus continued to the office. Upon reaching his desk, he leaned over and opened the large drawer on the bottom right.

A dozen clear crystals clinked together as the drawer hit the end of its track. He held one up with a smirk, lifting it to observe the faint, violet aether remaining inside. Idly tossing the crystal in his left hand, Hythlodaeus crossed the small lobby back to the residential half of the floor. 

He strode up to the communication device set into the wall and dialed a number. A few rings echoed through the speakers located in the sitting room before a man answered.

“Shea speaking.”

“I do believe I’ve won our bet, dear Shea,” Hythlodaeus responded as he stretched out on the sofa.

The man on the other end sputtered. Hythlodaeus grinned at the ceiling, rolling the crystal between the fingers of his left hand. One leg rested on the opposite bent knee; he bounced the dangling foot to a slow rhythm.

“Wh-what?! No! You can’t have!”

“Oh but I _ did _. Emet-Selch just left for the Capitol. Keep your eyes on his legs; I’m sure it will be obvious when he crosses them during today’s meeting.”

“But how?! He would have sensed the aether!”

“Not if it’s _ his _,” Hythlodaeus countered, grin widening. “That’s why I asked for three months to complete it; I needed time to amass enough aether to pull it off. I can’t exactly sit Emet-Selch down and ask him to fill twelve crystals without giving him a reason.”

The man swore under his breath. Hythlodaeus chuckled at his irritation. 

“I suppose you’ll want a bottle of that whiskey you like so much.”

Hythlodaeus raised his eyebrows and tilted his head for a moment of silent contemplation. 

“I had considered it,” he confessed. “But I was thinking more along the lines of something from that boutique of yours near the Macarenses Angle.”

“My jeweler? Doesn’t Emet-Selch pay you enough? Do you really need to win _ bets _ to afford one of my pieces?”

Hythlodaeus smiled at the question. A faint blush warmed his face as his mind listed off ways in which _ both _ his partners paid him _ exceedingly _ well. His hand strayed up to toy with the amethyst earring in his right ear. A gift from Eudora, it was nearly identical to the one Hades wore in his left—save that his bore a pearl. Eudora wore the matching partners herself.

“Merely paying for it wouldn’t have been as satisfying,” Hythlodaeus replied. “There are a pair of onyx and gold cufflinks in the window. Those will suffice, as will the silver hair stick with the green cat’s eye on the end. You can wrap and give them to Emet-Selch after today’s meeting. Simply tell him it’s something I ordered that finally came in.”

The line went silent for a moment. Hythlodaeus lifted his head from the cushion, wondering if the man had hung up in his fury. He _ had _ been known to be a sore loser in the past. 

A deep sigh consoled him. 

“You could have anything from any of my boutiques and you pick _ that _? I thought you were above such frippery, Daeus.”

“You sell yourself short, Shea. Everyone knows the Majestic only stocks the highest quality items in his boutiques.”

Shea laughed.

“Are you trying to impress someone? Don’t tell me someone finally caught Hythlodaeus’ eye?”

The purple-haired man smiled to himself. His hand found its way back to the amethyst earring.

“You would have an easier time trapping the wind,” he replied softly. “Those items are merely gifts for my oldest friends.”

“If you say so, Daeus,” the man said in resignation. “I should know better by now that it’s easier to get information out of _ Elidibus _ than you. I’ll get the pieces to Emet-Selch; don’t worry.”

Shea hung up. Hythlodaeus used the remnants of Hades’ aether in the crystal to fully disconnect from the call. He watched as the violet faded from the object, leaving it as clear as glass. 

“I also proved _ this _ concept works,” he mused. “Artificially created crystals capable of storing aether that can be used at a later point in time. It holds promise for those with limited aether capacity, allowing them to channel a bit of their aether into it and collect it over time to then invest it in something larger that would leave them otherwise perilously drained.”

He held it higher. The crystal caught and refracted the light, casting a rainbow against the wall. Hythlodaeus inhaled deeply before releasing it in a long, drawn out sigh.

“And it lets _ me _ borrow more aether than before. With enough crystals and Hades’ endless supply of aether, I could even portion it out so I would be… _ normal _.”

Tears welled up in his eyes at the thought. It was something he had wondered his entire life: What could he do if he had the ability to use aether? What could he accomplish? What could he _ achieve _?

Hythlodaeus grit his teeth. His grip on the crystal tightened until his hand shook. He threw it—caring little for where it flew—and turned to face the back of the sofa. Tears born of frustration flowed down his cheeks as he drew his knees up and hugged himself.


	16. The Lottery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which luck is tested.

During a particularly boring morning session, Deudalaphon announced that her Bureau had completed the census. The result they had agreed upon was that it would be prudent to hold a Lottery to boost the population back to a comfortable margin following the outbreak of a mysterious plague that nearly wiped out one of the smaller, distant cities. The news was met with murmurs and nods of agreement from the other Convocation members. 

Hades, for the most part, proved he was awake by sitting up in his seat and stretching his long limbs. A warm feeling of _ hope _ and _ excitement _ seeped into his bond from Eudora as she sat next to Elidibus. His wife’s soul glowed with optimism and he couldn’t help but smile and reassure her through their connection. Taking care that Halmarut wouldn’t catch them due to his aetheric sensitivities, Hades stretched a sliver of his aether across the room to wrap itself around Eudora’s hand. It gently squeezed, garnering a smile from the blonde who stroked it with her own aether.

The overall process was simple. Couples wishing to have children registered with and submitted various documents to the Bureau of the Benevolent to prove their worth as parents. If approved, they were then added to the list of potential candidates to be chosen via the Lottery. When the population fell below a certain number—either according to the Bureau’s customary census every millennium or following catastrophic losses from a disease or accident—the sitting Deudalaphon called for a Lottery. 

Human participation in the drawing itself was kept to a minimum due to constant accusations of tampering when impatient couples weren’t chosen. A numbered crystal imbued with their names would be added to the vault holding the others, whose opening sigil was known only by Deudalaphon. When the time came for the Lottery, a complex spell from the Benevolent was used to randomize which crystals tumbled out of the vault; the amount varied depending on the difference between the actual population numbers and the preferred average. 

The results were then mailed out in discreet, separate envelopes to both members of the couple. When the Lottery first began, the Bureau publicly declared the lucky couples. However, the inevitable infidelity would come to light every few millennia when someone _ officially _ bonded to one person had registered with a less-than-secret lover. To prevent scandals, the Bureau moved to envelopes.

A small, unmarked white envelope awaited Hades on the dining table one evening. He raised a curious eyebrow as he dissipated his robes and mask before picking it up and turning it over. His name was the only thing written across the flap. 

“Daeus?” he called out to the man in the kitchen. “Did you put this here?”

“If you’re talking about the envelope, then yes. Otherwise, I reserve the right to plead ignorance.”

“Who brought it?”

The oven door shut with a soft _ thud _. Hythlodaeus appeared in the kitchen doorway a moment later, wiping his hands on a white towel.

“It was delivered with the regular mail. Why?” he asked. A concerned frown tugged on the corners of his lips. “Is something wrong?”

Hades mutely shrugged as he slipped his finger under the corner of the flap and tore it open. Inside was a single sheet of paper which he unfolded and read.

> _Hades. Emet-Selch. _
> 
> _ It is with great pleasure that I write to inform you that you and your partner, Eudora, have been drawn in the Lottery. _
> 
> _ To confirm the receipt of this letter, please visit the Bureau of the Benevolent with your partner. A meeting will then be held in which the desire for children will be reevaluated. If all proceeds apace, then you shall be cleared for conception and the appropriate medical facilities shall be made available. _
> 
> _ Sincerely, _
> 
> _ Deudalaphon_

The white-haired Architect stared at the letter in his hands, unable to process what he had read. His hands trembled and his heart pounded as the idea slowly materialized in his mind. Caught off guard as he was, his emotions flooded the bond he shared with his lover. Hythlodaeus approached hesitantly from where he stood at the kitchen door while a smile picked its way across Hades’ face.

His purple-haired twin tried to slide the letter out of his grip. Hades closed his hand around it, crumpling it in his fist before throwing his arms around Hythlodaeus in a hug. The other man yelped in surprise.

“We were chosen!” he cried at his tensed lover. “Dori and I were drawn in the Lottery; we can have a child!”

Glee flooded their connection from Hythlodaeus’ end, who lifted him off the floor with a tight embrace. Laughter spilled from their lips as joy reverberated between them.

“I get to be an uncle! Oh, I’m going to spoil them rotten!”

“Don’t you _ dare _,” Hades spat half-heartedly through his grin. He glanced around as Hythlodaeus put him down. “I thought Dori would be here by now. Where is she?”

“Ah, something came up in the Bureau; her Chief called to say that she might be a little late.”

Hades frowned at the news. He had hoped to celebrate immediately.

“Well, I suppose that gives us a bit of time to prepare a small surprise since Dori doesn’t normally stop by her apartment to check her mail. Can you add anything to the menu to make dinner special tonight?”

“Bold of you to assume it isn’t already,” Hythlodaeus smirked. “I’ll do one better, though. I’ll call the restaurant and ask them to send a few things. You’ll have to dip into your wine, though.”

“With _ pleasure _,” Hades grinned as a knock echoed through the apartment. 

The pair exchanged a confused look; Eudora would have walked right in without knocking. Both focused on the soul outside the front door. A midnight blue soul swirled with silver stood there, waiting patiently. They relaxed and Hades answered the door.

Lukos greeted him with a nod and a faint smile. Hades stepped back to allow the tall Wildling into the apartment, who presented him with a stack of letters in his clawed hand. Hades raised his eyebrows in surprise before looking up to the white-haired Wildling for an explanation.

“My little one asked me to bring her mail here. From what I can see, I need to make it a routine check.”

Hythlodaeus darted forward and snatched the stack of mail from Hades. Before he could remind his lover of the concept of privacy, Hythlodaeus skimmed through and pulled out a small, unmarked white envelope. He turned it over to reveal Eudora’s name written on the flap. Lukos stared at it; his hand slowly reached out to take it from the purple-haired man. A claw traced the delicately written name before he focused his dark blue eyes on the two men.

“Is this what I think it is?”

Hythlodaeus beamed and nodded while Hades slipped back to the dining room to retrieve his copy of the letter. He handed it over to Lukos, who immediately read it. The tall Wildling’s shoulders relaxed when he reached the end. A broad smile lit up his face as he lifted his gaze from the letter.

“Congratulations Hades,” he said warmly. “Both of you will make wonderful parents.”

“And you’ll make an excellent grandfather,” Hades replied.

“Grand…” Lukos started, eyes widening at the words; his smile softened. “Thank you.”

The door opened again, this time revealing Eudora in her black robes and red, full-faced Convocation mask. Her outerwear vanished to show the confused look on her face.

“Why are all of you in the lobby?” she asked.

Lukos glanced down at the letter in his hands. He held it out to her.

“I brought your mail.”

“Oh? And this was the only thing?”

Hythlodaeus gently tugged on Lukos’ arm as Eudora accepted the unassuming envelope. 

“No, there’s also an unbelievable stack of junk mail. _ That _ is the most important thing that arrived,” he said with a smirk before addressing the Wildling. ”I was planning on ordering something nice from the restaurant before you arrived, Lukos. Come see what I made for dinner and tell me what you’d like me to get.”

Her confusion flooded the bond between the trio. Lukos nodded and followed Hythlodaeus into the residential side of the floor, leaving Hades and Eudora alone in the lobby. Hades smiled at her and lightly tapped the envelope.

“Open it.”

Silver eyes darted down to it. 

“What did Daeus do to it?”

Hades chuckled. It turned to laughter at the incredulity that darted down the bond from Hythlodaeus. He shook his head and reassured both of his lovers.

“He didn’t do anything to it, for once. Open it and you’ll see.”

Despite the distrust still lurking in Eudora’s end of the connection, she opened the envelope. Distrust gave way to curiosity and then disbelief. Tears welled up in her eyes as she locked gazes with Hades. A flurry of emotions whirled within her aquamarine soul; it bled into their connection as a cacophony of feelings.

Eudora threw her arms around Hades’ neck and kissed him. He grinned against her lips as he embraced her, holding her tightly. Resting his forehead against hers and closing his eyes, he wrapped his soul around that of his wife. Aquamarine relaxed into violet and red until they nearly blended together and became one. He took a deep breath, enjoying the intimacy.

_ We’ll go tomorrow? _ she asked through their bond. With their souls in such close proximity, the question nearly felt like it originated from his own mind.

Hades nodded and gently pressed a kiss to her temple. He took her hand.

“Let’s go,” he said in a soft tone. “We need to celebrate the future addition to our strange little family.”

Eudora’s soul blossomed with delight as they joined Hythlodaeus and Lukos.

A quiet sigh left his lips as he finally reached the porch of his home. He took a moment to extinguish the cigarette dangling between his fingers before dissipating it. Admittedly a needless step, but it comforted him all the same. 

The locking sigil flared to life briefly in front of the door in response to his aether. He stepped inside, barely avoiding the envelope in the threshold of the door. He frowned down at it, confused as to who would mail him anything in the first place—much less to his residence instead of his office where he was more likely to receive it. Small and nondescript, his name across the flap was the only writing on it. That, too, was strange; his mail was typically addressed to his title. 

Red mask and white robes dissolved into aether as he bent down to pick it up. A series of melodic tones disturbed the silence of his home before he could open it. Another frown. This evening was full of irregularities.

He entered his sparsely furnished sitting room. A blue light blinked in time with the melody. The red one angrily flashing beside it showed he had missed at least one call. He answered it with a flicker of his aether; the speakers placed in the upper corners of the room hummed as they activated.

“Elidibus speaking.”

“Orphy? Finally. Did you check your mail, yet?”

Orpheus froze upon hearing Melpomene’s voice come through the speakers. A gentle nudge to the envelope in his hand pulled his attention down to his pet snake investigating the item from where it had curled up in a chair. He offered his opposite hand to the white serpent so it could coil around his shoulders.

“I just arrived. Why? Is everything alright?” 

“I wanted to see if anything strange arrived for you, too.”

His violet gaze dropped to the envelope. He sighed and ran a hand through his black hair.

“There is an envelope I wasn’t expecting,” he admitted.

“Did you open it?”

There was something in his old partner’s voice that he couldn’t quite place. His frown deepened with concern as he opened and read the letter within. 

> _Orpheus. Elidibus. _
> 
> _ It is with great pleasure that I write to inform you that you and your partner, Melpomene, have been drawn in the Lottery. _
> 
> _ To confirm the receipt of this letter, please visit the Bureau of the Benevolent with your partner. A meeting will then be held in which the desire for children will be reevaluated. If all proceeds apace, then you shall be cleared for conception and the appropriate medical facilities shall be made available. _
> 
> _ Sincerely, _
> 
> _ Deudalaphon_

Orpheus fell back into an armchair, his eyes focused on the Benevolent’s overwrought signature. He wracked his mind in an attempt to recall _ when _ he and Melpomene would have registered for the Lottery.

A faded memory came forth from the early days. A musician and a singer, who could barely support themselves, but were madly in love. They had made the decision when they landed their first steady gig playing in one of the high class social clubs. Forms were filled out and submitted with the hopes of one day bringing a child into the world.

Both of them forgot as time passed and Orpheus left the stage to serve society behind the mask of Elidibus.

“You’re quieter than normal. I take it you read it?” asked Melpomene.

“I did,” he replied in a hushed voice and carefully folded the letter. “What would you like to do, Mel?”

Silence. Seconds stretched into eons. Orpheus found himself holding his breath, unsure which response he wanted to hear more. The singer inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled. 

“I can talk with my manager and be in Amaurot at the start of next week. If… If _ you _ still want this, that is.”

Orpheus relaxed into the armchair, releasing his own breath. His hands also eased their tight grip on the armrests of his seat. His eyes wandered the small, drab sitting room. Something fluttered in his chest at the thought of laughter echoing through his home. He closed his eyes, pushing back on the idea and the warmth circling his heart.

“I do, Mel, but our professions are not conducive to raising a child. You tour the star with your performances and I am away from Amaurot more often than not due to Convocation business.”

“I can stop touring, Orphy. I’m sure I can find a place to perform in a city as large as Amaurot. I can’t speak for you because of your duties, but I can at least guarantee our child will have _ one _parent who will always be there.”

Tears welled up behind his closed eyes. He tried to focus on what would be best for both of them.

“You shouldn’t be forced to make that sacrifice.”

“I’m not being forced. I’m _ volunteering _. I’ve toured the star enough times; I want to create a home for myself. This gives me the perfect reason.”

A hopeful smile lifted the corners of his lips. The warmth within him settled, permeating down to his bones. Orpheus gave in; his eyes opened and his tears fell. 

_ If she’s willing to give that up, then I can at the very least... _

“I’ll have to expand my home. And thankfully with Emet-Selch’s new transportation concept finally in place across the main cities, I won’t be away as much anymore. I can simply teleport back to Amaurot should anything arise.”

A quiet gasp punctuated the end of his words. He could already see the look on her face. It made him smile all the more as heat flushed his face.

“Do you mean it?”

“Yes. I _ miss _ you, Mel,” he confessed. “I didn’t realize it until we reconnected. I want you here—with me. Move to Amaurot and we can start our family. Two lost children from Oxylus did the impossible once. We can do it again. With you here, I could even accompany you during your performances.”

“Just like before,” she whispered. “I love you, Orphy.”

“I love you, Mel.”

They agreed to meet the following week and the call ended. Orpheus smiled at his pet serpent before gently stroking it with his aether.

“Things are going to get lively around here, my old friend.”


	17. The Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [In which a friendship is born.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For TenKeyLess.   
(Do you even remember you gave me this prompt forever ago? Sorry it's taken an age! :dead:)

“Caretaker Selene? Why do we have to go all the way to Anyder just to borrow books? Couldn’t we visit the same library we always do with Caretaker Ianos?”

The boy holding Caretaker Selene’s other hand posed his question in a soft, hesitant voice, almost as if he were afraid of being chastised. The woman wearing a pale yellow mask and dark blue robes offered him a gentle smile, however, and released his hand long enough to pat him on the head.

“An excellent question, Daeus. We’re going to Akadaemia Anyder because both yours and Hades’ parents asked Caretaker Ianos to use a specific book for your lessons. As researchers, they know very well the scholar’s library in Anyder is the only one to contain that book. They asked the librarians to hold it for us until we could fetch it.”

“You haven’t told us what today’s lesson is, yet,” Hades interjected. 

The woman turned her attention to him; her smile as warm as when she had addressed Hythlodaeus. She wasn’t their typical guardian; Caretaker Ianos had apparently fallen ill—a rare thing in Amaurot, according to Hades’ mother—and would be unable to fulfill his duties until he recovered. He had arranged for another caretaker to take his place in the interim, however, which led to this woman taking charge of Hades and Hythlodaeus.

“In a word: aetherology,” she explained. “Your father said the book is a tome written by the first Lahabrea. It is a repository of information that has been amended throughout the millennia to reflect aetherial findings. From what Caretaker Ianos told me, the two of you seem ready to begin practicing more serious aether manipulation.”

Hades faintly sensed dread from the other boy. He couldn’t understand  _ why _ , but he could feel Hythlodaeus’ stronger emotions. When he had brought it up to his parents, they patiently listened and asked questions, but had no answers for him. He decided never to bring it up again to any of the adults—especially not when his shy friend had admitted that he could feel  _ Hades _ ’ emotions as well. 

While their bond was a mystery to him, he did know the source of Hythlodaeus’ dread.

“Couldn’t we have a different lesson?” he countered, boldly staring up at the substitute caretaker. “At least until Caretaker Ianos is recovered.”

Caretaker Selene stopped on the corner just in front of Akadaemia Anyder. With a soft sigh, she brought both boys together so she could address them at once. When she spoke, her voice was firm yet patient.

“Ianos was very clear about continuing the lesson plan. He doesn’t want either of you to fall behind just because he got sick. There’s nothing to worry about when it comes to aether studies; it’s as easy as breathing for us.”

Hythlodaeus hand gingerly tugged on Hades’ sleeve. He felt a distant whisper begging him to drop the topic and let the caretaker do what she wants. The boy crossed his arms, defying both of them.

“What if I don’t want to learn how to manipulate aether? It’s not like  _ everyone _ can do it, anyway, so it can’t be all that important to adulthood.”

The woman’s lips parted in surprise just before she pressed them together in a thin line.

“You know more than I thought, if you already know about the incapable,” she confessed. “Did Ianos already cover them with the two of you?”

“In a way,” Hades replied curtly. 

Hythlodaeus’ hand came up to Hades’ shoulder. His friend’s quiet begging resumed, this time asking him to stop before the woman started asking more questions. He felt the other boy’s shame at his handicap filter through their connection. It settled in the pit of his stomach like a burning stone—it only served to fuel Hades’ anger.

_ You shouldn’t be ashamed!  _ he thought furiously, hoping the sentiment was strong enough for the other boy to feel it.  _ It’s not your fault you were born this way! _

The caretaker’s eyes focused on them when Hythlodaeus leaned in to whisper in his ear.

“Please, Hades. You’ll only make it worse.”

When he felt her gaze shift entirely to his friend, Hades moved to block her view of the other boy; it was easy, considering they were the same height and build. He did his best to glare at the adult despite being a masked child and several fulms shorter than the woman. 

Caretaker Selene relaxed before offering him a warm smile. She nodded as if she understood and took his small hands in hers.

“Hades, it is our duty to learn how to safely manipulate aether; not only for the good of society, but also for those who cannot use it. They depend on the rest of us to be responsible with our usage and to protect them if the need arises.  _ That _ is why it is important for you to learn. Don’t you want to be able to protect them?”

The boy frowned, unable to find an argument against her sound logic. Behind him, Hythlodaeus suddenly gasped; a rustle of robes and a change in the pressure against his back told Hades his friend had ducked behind him. 

He and Caretaker Selene looked to find a robed figure around Hades’ height approaching the trio. The woman stood to address the newcomer, whose mask and hood were askew after running up to them.

“Good morning, child. I am Caretaker Selene. What’s your name?”

“Eudora,” the girl replied obediently as she adjusted her clothes.

The woman gasped in recognition and nodded her head. 

“Ah, yes. Sabas and Philomena’s daughter, correct?”

The girl nodded before glancing curiously at Hades and Hythlodaeus; she smiled and waved at them. His friend once again ducked out of sight behind him as a sense of anxiety seeped into Hades. He glanced over his shoulder at the other boy and tried to reassure him while focusing on the girl.

The woman placed a hand on each boy’s head as she introduced them.

“This is Hades and this is Hythlodaeus. Would you like to join us? We were going to visit Akadaemia Anyder to take out a book. I’m not sure where you are in your lessons, but I have no doubt we can find something suitable for you to borrow.” Caretaker Selene motioned to the sprawling campus across the street to emphasize her point.

Eudora followed the woman’s hand and looked at the buildings. A simple nod served as her response. Caretaker Selene smiled cheerily.

“In that case, take my left hand. Hades, could you please take Daeus’ other hand?” she asked, holding her right hand out to Hythlodaeus. 

Once the children were linked together, Caretaker Selene led them into the Akadaemia. Hades exhaled his surprise as he took in the immense entry hall. Most of the robed students hurried through the high-ceilinged room as they rushed to classes, although a few loitered in small groups or walked at a more relaxed pace. Through a tall window, he saw more students in the garden outside; some were sitting on the grass either reading or having lunch while others worked on what looked like a concept near the central fountain.

He felt Hythlodaeus’ anxiety melt as the other boy also stared up in awe at the softly glowing lights high above their heads. From Caretaker Selene’s other side, he heard Eudora exclaim her own surprise at her surroundings and guessed it must be the girl’s first time in the building as well.

The Akadaemia’s students gave the caretaker and her charges a wide berth as the dark blue-robed woman crossed the marble floor of the entry hall. She led the children up a flight of stairs and into a much smaller, connecting hallway that guided them to another building. 

The doors opened ahead of the group as a man wearing a fanged, red mask walked out. Hades caught a glimpse of shelves upon shelves of books beyond the door. The man stopped upon seeing the caretaker and the children. A soft hum reached Hades’ ears as the man’s gaze drifted from the woman to the two boys. Hythlodaeus tensed and edged closer to Hades, who partially stood in front of him to block the man’s view.

“Caretaker,” he said curtly by way of greeting. “I was unaware of any children’s tours today.”

“Lahabrea,” she replied warmly and with a slight bow. “We are here on an unofficial visit.”

“Are you?” he asked, eyes still focused on the boys. “Then what  _ unofficially  _ brings you to Anyder’s library?”

Hades found he didn’t like the uneasy feeling he got from the Convocation member’s stare. A shiver ran down his spine as if the man were trying to peer into his very soul. Before he could even consider bristling his aether, Caretaker Selene placed herself between the man and the boys.

“Iapetos and Kronos asked me to fetch a book to continue their respective child’s education. The book can only be found here, in the library, and so here we came.”

Lahabrea hummed again. 

“I thought their sons were assigned to Caretaker Ianos.”

“He fell ill last night. I am covering his assignment until his health returns,” she explained before gently tugging on the children’s hands. “If you’ll forgive us, most esteemed Lahabrea, we must be on our way. We have other errands after collecting the book.”

“Of course. Allow me to get someone to help you,” he said, standing to one side and holding the door open for the group. A man approached the door just as Lahabrea was about to call out to someone within the library. “Aristotelis, you’re in office hours now, are you not? Help the caretaker and her charges.”

Lahabrea grabbed the man by the arm and whispered a few more words in his ear. Hades felt the white-masked man’s gaze fall on him; Aristotelis subtly nodded before Lahabrea walked away, leaving the other man to hold the door.

Caretaker Selene led the children into the library, thanking Aristotelis for holding the door. While the adults exchanged words, Hades stared at the shelves surrounding him. Each floor opened up to the center, letting the boy see the books lining the walls and the tables arranged between them and the railing. He followed them up all seven stories; his hood fell off, revealing his short and wavy, dark brown hair as he stared at the topmost floor shrouded in shadows. 

A hand gently fixed his hood from behind. Suspecting it to be either Hythlodaeus or the caretaker, he was surprised to find the girl had been the one to adjust it. His jaw slackened as he reflexively slipped a hand under it to fix his hair.

“Sorry about that,” she mumbled. “I just wanted to help.”

He quietly assured her it was fine and thanked her as Caretaker Selene guided them to the librarian’s desk. Eudora spoke up again while the adults fetched the book.

“So what are the two of you studying right now?”

“Aether manipulation,” Hades replied.

“Oh wow!” she gasped. “Already? I’m still learning the basics. Have either of you already created anything?”

“ _ No _ .”

Eudora took a step back at Hades’ harsh reply. Something gnawed at him upon seeing her reaction, but Hythlodaeus spoke before he could analyze it.

“You made that ball, remember? It was after we learned about aether currents so it floated on them.”

Hades immediately turned to shush his friend, who smiled sheepishly at him. Eudora, on the other hand, gasped in amazement. When he looked at her, she was staring at him with her mouth open.

“Really? Can you make it again? I’d love to see it!”

Her reaction warmed something inside Hades. He shuffled his feet and idly smoothed out the sleeves of his robe.

“It doesn’t work inside,” he replied. “I would have to do it outside where the currents are stronger—and only if Caretaker Selene lets me.”

The girl clapped her hands together in excitement and bounced in place. She then turned her attention to Hythlodaeus.

“What about you? Have you made anything?”

Hythlodaeus’ face immediately fell. He glanced hesitantly at Hades before meekly responding while rubbing the lower edge of his white mask.

“I… can’t.”

Eudora smiled warmly at him. She reached out to give him a comforting pat on the shoulder.

“It’s alright; I can’t either yet. We’ll get the hang of it sooner or later.”

Hythlodaeus shook his head. Hades’ heart dropped into his stomach when he sensed his friend’s fear at the girl’s likely reaction to what he was about to say.

“No, I won’t. I’ll never be able to. I’m incapable,” he confessed in a defeated voice. One hand rubbed the opposite arm as if to console himself. 

“Oh…” Eudora replied, her smile quickly evaporating. She looked from him to Hades and then back again. “I didn’t know that was possible.”

Hades felt Hythlodaeus brace himself for the inevitable taunting they had seen from some of the other children. Eudora chewed her lips before they split in a wide grin.

“How about this? Why not tell us what you want to create and we’ll do it for you?”

“What..?” Hythlodaeus started, a blush crossing his lower face.

“ _ What _ ?!” Hades yelled and stared at her in shock.

Caretaker Selene turned to hush the boy and remind him they had to be quiet in a library. He was suddenly aware of Aristotelis watching the boys from where the man leaned against the librarian’s vacant desk. It felt very much like how Lahabrea had studied him during their brief encounter outside. Before he could move behind the substitute caretaker, however, Eudora explained herself.

“Since you can’t create things yourself, you can just tell us exactly what you want, can’t you? You’re incapable, not unimaginative, right? I’m sure you’ll have great concepts! And if you describe your ideas to us, it’d give us practice with creation magic!”

The faint shadow of a smile flickered over Aristotelis’ lips and he finally looked away from the children to the returning librarian. Hades turned his attention back to his friend and the girl to find a cautious smile on Hythlodaeus’ face.

“You think so?” he asked.

“I know so!” she grinned. “And if  _ he’s _ already good enough to make things on his own, then that just means we’ll have to make even more complicated concepts for him to create!”

Hythlodaeus relaxed; Hades sensed a strong surge of  _ relief _ and  _ warmth  _ come through their connection. It made him smile. 

“You can call me ‘Daeus’, by the way,” his friend replied. “Do you have a nickname or do you prefer your full name, like Hades does?”

The girl grew thoughtful and fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve. The boys exchanged a curious look. Hythlodaeus slightly frowned at her sudden hesitation. Hades found himself agreeing with the unease seeping into him from his friend.

“No one’s ever really given me a nickname,” she admitted after a few seconds.

“Not even your parents?” Hades asked with a frown of his own.

Eudora shook her head. Hythlodaeus tapped his chin thoughtfully; he gasped a moment later and smiled warmly at her.

“What about ‘Dori’?”

She hummed and tilted her head as she considered the nickname. After a moment she beamed at the boys. 

“I like it!” she declared. “Call me ‘Dori’, then!”

“Honestly children, have you never set foot in a library?”

Aristotelis’ voice pulled their attention back to the adults. The man’s arms were crossed and his lips were sternly set. Caretaker Selene held two tomes in her arms; a faint smile ghosted across her face before she cleared her throat. She shifted the large books to one arm and held her free hand out to them.

“Come, children. We have our errands to complete. Let us leave Professor Aristotelis to his work.”

Eudora stepped forward and took the woman’s hand before turning and extending her other one to the boys. Hythlodaeus hesitantly stepped forward to accept the proffered hand; Hades completed the chain by taking his free hand. Caretaker Selene smiled at Aristotelis and led the children out of the library.

The woman did not stop until they were in a garden down the street from Anyder. She sat on a bench with a tired sigh and placed the books beside her before smiling at the children. 

“Well, children, we have the books for your upcoming lessons. Eudora, I sent a message to your mother’s lab asking where you were in your studies. This book should be around where you are,” Caretaker Selene said, holding the book out to the girl. She offered the other one to the boys. “This is the book Caretaker Ianos needs for your lessons. He asked that you start reading the first chapter. When you’re done, let me know and I’ll quiz you on the material within.”

They nodded and took their respective books. A much slimmer book appeared in the woman’s hands for her to read. Eudora immediately sat down on the grass and opened her book to the front. Hythlodaeus met Hades’ gaze before tilting his head to the spot beside her. Although he  _ did  _ want to, Hades sighed and shrugged at his friend. The pair sat next to the girl and began reading their assigned chapter. 


	18. The Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a gift is given.

The door at the end of the short hallway easily opened to Eudora. She trudged inside with a sigh and removed the red mask that covered her entire face. For once, the entire floor was silent and still. The blonde frowned at the lonely room between the office and the apartment and found herself missing the ever-present music that played when either her husband or her lover was working. 

Both men had been called away to a distant city on Bureau business and had left that afternoon, leaving the woman alone in Amaurot. Lukos had invited her to spend some time in his apartment in Anyder so she wouldn’t be as lonely. Eudora had thanked her mentor, but she preferred to stay home—even if that meant the shared apartment instead of her official one within the city.

Her mask and robes vanished into aether as she stepped into the residential side of the floor. Silver eyes swept the sitting room and dining room from her place at the door. A hand grabbed the opposite elbow while a deeper sigh tumbled from her nose. If she focused, the woman could still feel the men’s contrasting aether bustling through the rooms. The thought brought a smile to her face: Hades, ever-punctual and organized, griping because calm and relaxed Hythlodaeus had yet to pack what he needed for the trip.

“Except knowing Daeus, he probably had it packed this morning while Hades and I slept in,” she reasoned to the empty room. “He’d probably just act like he hadn’t to pull Hades’ leg.”

A hollow feeling settled into her chest. Moisture gathered in her eyes only for her to blink it away.

“You’re being ridiculous; they aren’t _ gone _, just away,” she scolded herself. “They’ll return in a few weeks once they’ve finished studying the new concepts.”

She crossed the dining room and entered the kitchen, where she found a neatly written note. The tears returned as the longing within her grew upon reading the message.

> _ “Dearest Dori, _
> 
> _ Have arranged for your meals to be delivered from the restaurant starting tomorrow morning. Can’t have you burning down the Bureau by accident. Enjoy the dinner I left for you on the stove; it should still be warm by the time you arrive. _
> 
> _ Yours, _
> 
> _ Daeus” _

A glance at the appliance showed a covered plate waiting for her. Eudora sniffled and set aside the note, rubbing the backs of her hands into her eyes. She took her dinner into the sitting room and curled up in an armchair to eat.

Just as she finished her meal, Eudora sensed a familiar, delicate stroke against her aether. She looked around the silent room at the feeling—half-expecting to see her lover hiding in the shadows—but found herself alone. 

The harsh sound of a key sliding into the front door jerked her out of the armchair and onto her feet. Brow furrowed in confusion, the blonde set aside the plate and hurried to the lobby. 

A tall figure in hooded, black robes and a white mask entered holding a rectangular box adorned with a bow. Well-known lips widened into a smile while a hand removed the mask to reveal glittering, pale gold eyes set below purple eyebrows.

Eudora launched herself into her lover’s arms; the force knocked his hood back, revealing long, dark purple hair tied into a messy bun. A clear laugh rang out of him as he managed to wrap his arms around her without dropping either the box or his mask. Their souls twined together while the blonde relaxed into his hold. She dug her face into his black robes, enjoying the scent of sun and _ greenery _ that always clung to him. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Missing us already, Dori?”

She whispered her confession through their bond. Hythlodaeus relaxed around her before nuzzling the top of her head and tightening his hug. 

“Why are you still here?” she asked once she felt more confident in her voice. “I thought you and Hades were leaving together.”

“I had a few things to take care of before leaving Amaurot and my presence isn’t as immediately required as that of _ the illustrious Emet-Selch _,” Hythlodaeus explained. “We agreed I would take the last train out—or fly first thing,” he added, idly flapping his hands around her. “Hades charged a crystal for me so I should be fine if I have to fly due to missing tonight’s train.”

He leaned in to kiss her on the lips. He chuckled into her mouth before parting; his tongue flicked over his lips.

“How was dinner?”

“Amazing as ever.” Eudora pulled herself out of her lover’s arms, giving him a chance to hang his mask from a peg by the door. He handed her the box while he slipped out of his communal robes and hung them by his mask.

“What’s in here?” she asked and gently shook the box. Something thudded against the sides, but she couldn’t tell much more about the contents.

Hythlodaeus smiled as he took the box from her and motioned for her to follow him. He led her through the apartment to their bedroom where he sat on the bed and drummed his long fingers on the wrapped present. 

“Hades and I were feeling a bit guilty that we would be leaving you alone for a few weeks,” he explained, patting the bed for her to sit beside him. “So we brainstormed a concept that might help ease that loneliness. It works by drawing on your aether to project a… well a _ shade _ of whoever’s essence is contained within. We were curious and both put our essence into the concept to see what would happen. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

He offered the gift to her again with a smile. She accepted it, but stopped when her fingertips found the seam between the cover and the box itself. Her eyes narrowed as she silently scrutinized Hythlodaeus. Her lover chuckled; the infectious emotion bled into their shared bond warming Eudora with his amusement. 

“It’s perfectly safe, Dori. I would never trick you at a time like this.”

Eudora tugged the lid off the box, only to stare in confusion at its contents. Nestled among shredded paper was a cylindrical crystal. Vibrant red and pale gold smoke swirled inside it; she assumed that was what Hythlodaeus had meant by their essences. Silver eyes swept over it again. Heat rushed to her face when the _ shape _ of the crystal clicked in her mind and she nearly dropped the box.

She couldn’t quite explain _ how _ , but it reminded her of both men. Considering their similarities, she hadn’t been surprised to discover during their first time together that Hades and Hythldoaeus were nearly the same even _ there. _ Hades was ever so slightly longer, but Hythlodaeus was a touch thicker and had a subtle curve. 

The crystal—Eudora didn’t know what else to call it—seemed to combine both men into one, so to speak. She carefully took it out of the box and held it up to inspect it closer. It truly seemed to be modeled after both of her lovers, she noted as her thumb traced the length of it and instinctively stroked the tip. The smoke inside concentrated on the points where her hand touched the crystal as if seeking contact with her.

Curiosity seeped into her soul from the man beside her. Eudora looked up from the crystal to find Hythlodaeus studying her with a faint smile.

“What do you think?” he asked. 

The blonde swallowed in response and glanced down at the crystal. Her fingers lightly traced up and down the length of it, watching the smoke chase after her touch. A quiet exhale from her lover made her look back at him to find a soft blush tinging his pale cheeks. Keeping an eye on him, she purposefully stroked the crystal. His hands gripped the edge of the bed as he shifted in place to lean forward.

“You can feel it,” she observed.

“Because of my proximity to my essence within, yes,” he confessed. “The effect lessens the further away Hades and I are from it. The range seems to be similar to that of our bond.”

The information brought a grin to Eudora’s face. Another languid stroke and his blush deepened. Her eyes drifted to his lap where she saw the fabric beginning to tent. 

“I should take advantage of the fact that you’re here then,” she reasoned.

Hythlodaeus pulled her into his lap before she could run her fingers down the length of the crystal again. His mouth caught hers in a gentle kiss as he carefully pulled the crystal from her grip. Eudora pouted into his lips and broke the kiss. 

“Why give that to me, let me discover the effect it has on _ you _, and then not let me use it?” she demanded, crossing her arms. 

Her lover’s smile was patient, albeit a bit strained. Stifling a groan, he picked her up in his arms and relocated her more towards the center of their large bed. Hythlodaeus straddled the blonde and kissed her again as the fingers of his free hand deftly undid the buttons of her blouse. 

Eudora managed to keep from rolling her eyes. Between the two men, Hythlodaeus was the one who prefered to take things slower—almost to the point of torture. Normally she was fine with it, but seeing his reaction to the surprise gift lit a fire within her that she wanted to explore. Already, she was imagining ways to tease both men with it while they worked in the Bureau.

She snatched the front of his shirt before he could sit back on his heels and pulled him down for another kiss, bucking her hips into his erection. Hythlodaeus groaned into her mouth. His free hand slid beneath her skirt to squeeze her upper thigh. Eudora grinned at him while her own hands focused on undoing the buttons on his slacks.

He kissed her again before she could finish freeing him. Her lover leaned towards her, pushing Eudora onto her back so he could loom over her. The blonde’s hands immediately went to work unbuttoning his shirt and peeling it off his muscular body. Hythlodaeus allowed it with a soft chuckle; he pulled his arms free of the shirt’s long sleeves only to bunch his lover’s skirt and slip around her waist. 

Eudora lifted her hips as Hythlodaeus threaded a finger between the band of her underwear and her skin. He pulled the fabric down as far as he could. The purple-haired man moved back and lowered his head to press a soft kiss against her inner thigh. A frustrated groan made its way out of the blonde’s throat; she gripped his hair and tried to pull him towards her folds.

Hythlodaeus laughed; his breath tickled her skin. Before she could tug on his dark locks again, his nose buried itself into her. She gasped, instinctively bucking and twisting in an attempt to urge him deeper. His tongue obliged, dragging itself up and down and _ delving _. He pulled a lustful moan from her as she buried her hands in his hair. 

His soul joined the assault on her senses. It engulfed hers in a sea of emerald and pale gold lights. Featherlight touches danced across the length and breadth of her soul. Whenever their souls made contact, Eudora felt a spark of unnamed pleasure jolt through her entire being that only added to her mounting ecstasy.

He began to coordinate his actions: spacing out his physical licking and sucking to occur between the moments where their souls touched in their metaphysical dance. The sensations combined into a growing whirlwind that soon became too much for Eudora; her vision exploded with emerald stars.

As she caught her breath, Hythlodaeus wiped his face. To her dismay, she saw his knowing smirk remained. He held up the crystal—well, _ phallus _—and carefully waved it.

“I believe you should be sufficiently prepared for this now.”

“What?” she asked, still recovering from her daze. 

“Well of course, it’s no different from any other time,” he continued. 

Eudora felt him press the cool tip against her folds; she bit back a long, low moan as he slowly inserted it. His own joined hers, hissing through his teeth in a controlled exhale. She quickly realized what _ he _ must be feeling. The thought rekindled her flame and made her wriggle around the crystal, enjoying the way it filled her perfectly. Its movement stuttered and Hythlodaeus braced himself by grasping the bedsheets near her hip.

When it was fully hilted, Eudora sensed the crystal draw some of her aether into it. Hythlodaeus let out a long sigh as he released the end he was holding and rolled onto his back beside her. Before the notion to question her lover could make its way through the pleasurable haze in her mind, she noticed a figure taking shape over her.

The first thing that stood out was its broad, muscular shoulders. She stared at them, trying to understand why they seemed so familiar. Her eyes and hands followed the curve of the shade’s toned chest and abdomen and stopped only upon reaching where it fused to the crystal inside her. One of its hands gently came to rest on her shoulder while the other supported her lower back as it lifted her to get a better angle. 

The shade chuckled. The sound drew her gaze up to its face to find two pale gold orbs watching her over a well-known nose and a smile she saw even in her dreams. Long, wavy locks of burgundy hair were somewhere between Hades’ original hair color and that of Hythlodaeus—except for the white streak that trailed down the right-hand side of the shade’s parted hair. 

Eudora’s hands slid down to its powerful thighs as she slowly realized what it was. She smiled at the shade while her eyes continued picking out nuances of her lovers. Its current smug smirk was _ definitely _ Hades, but the way its eyes creased was more like Hythlodaeus. The way it held her was certainly the latter, but the almost-lazy roll of its hips before it started pumping the attached crystal in and out of her screamed the former.

She wrapped her legs around it, pleased to find the shade as solid as the men it was modeled after. It leaned over to kiss her neck, shifting the crystal inside Eudora so it pushed against her walls. Her hands flew up to the shade's shoulders; her lips parted in a silent cry. Hythlodaeus groaned beside her as his hips moved in time with that of the shade. Eudora felt his pleasure course through their bond. It only amplified when his soul fully embraced hers and electrified her senses.

All thought fled her as her hands shifted to the shade’s back, pulling it onto her so she could cling to it while it thrust into her. It complied with a familiar chuckle and pressed its lips into the crook of her neck. It slowed its thrusts, making her feel its full length and curve as it withdrew and leisurely pushed itself back in. Her nails dug into its back in her frustration.

“Not _ now _ Daeus!” she snarled. 

The shade’s chuckle turned into Hythlodaeus’ chime-like laughter. Its hair darkened to a rich purple and the white streak vanished as it kissed the underside of her jaw.

“Apologies, dearest Dori,” it whispered into her skin, matching Hythlodaeus’ cadence.

It lazily sped up. Thrust by thrust, each one felt as if it penetrated deeper and deeper into Eudora’s core. The crystal drew more aether out of her only to feed it back into her wherever its hands made contact. She closed her eyes and held on to the shade, lost in the electrifying sensations overwhelming her. The shade began grunting with each quick pump, echoing her lover at her side. Giving in, Eudora moaned along with them. Eyes clenched shut, she _ finally _felt herself nearing her end. 

A final, decisive thrust filled Eudora. She cried out her lover’s name as she came around the crystal. Finding his own release, he let out a strangled cry beside her. The shade flickered and collapsed onto the woman; even it seemed to need to catch its breath.

As she drifted in her pleasure-induced haze, Eudora faintly sensed the aether it borrowed begin to return to her. She smiled at the shade, which lifted its face to gently kiss her. She ran a hand through its long, dark purple hair and admired how precise it was, down to her lover’s stubborn waves. When she noticed Hythlodaeus simultaneously beside her _ and _ on top of her, however, she found herself missing the other part of their trio. 

The shade shifted both atop and within Eudora, rubbing the crystal against her inner walls and drawing the slightest bit of aether out of her. Its hair paled until it turned white and the shade lost some of its muscle, becoming more like her lean-figured husband. When she whispered his name, the shade smirked and gave her a deep kiss before fading away. 

Hythlodaeus pulled her into his arms. She smiled at his soft touch and buried her face into his shoulder. His fingers brushed through her golden hair, drawing a soft sigh out of her as she relaxed against him. 

“Let’s clean up,” he whispered. “I’ll draw a bath for you here and bathe in the other one.”

His hand reached between her legs. When Eudora nodded, he smiled and kissed her while pulling out the crystal. She sighed into him at the sudden empty sensation. Her hands grabbed at his bare shoulders.

“Stay with me tonight,” she quietly begged. “You said Hades charged a crystal for you. Just use it to fly out tomorrow morning.”

A soft laugh left him as he set the crystal phallus aside to clean later. 

“Why Dori,” he smirked, “that was my plan from the beginning.”

Hythlodaeus carried her into the adjoining bathroom.


	19. AU - Hythlodaeus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [An alternate universe in which Daeus takes the first step.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For TenKeyLess who asked for an AU where Hythlodaeus seduces Eudora first. 
> 
> This takes place during the events of The Fourteenth.
> 
> I hope you enjoy :3

Hythlodaeus could not believe his luck.

There she was, standing in front of him and Hades. 

Eudora, their childhood friend. The missing member of their little trio.

His first crush. 

A smile parted Hythlodaeus’ lips when Hades told him to take her to the restaurant while he handled something that had just come up. He assured his twin that he would escort Eudora once he finished some work of his own. 

Hythlodaeus quickly finished reviewing the last draft on his desk while Eudora waited for him at Hades’ desk. When he completed revising the concept, he placed it in the appropriate stack and smiled at the woman.

“Apologies it took so long. Are you ready?”

She hopped up from Hades’ desk with a fervent nod. The pair left the Bureau to find it had finally stopped raining. Hythlodaeus heaved a quiet sigh of relief, thankful that at least he wouldn’t be soaked by the time they reached the nearby restaurant.

Fara, one of the servers, welcomed them when they entered. Hythlodaeus returned the greeting with a warm smile as he approached her and leaned over to whisper in the short woman’s ear.

“I am going to claim one of my rights as co-owner and request the reserved private booth in the back. Is Karavi in?”

“You ask as if he’s ever  _ out _ ,” the woman giggled. “Need something special for lunch?”

“Nothing  _ too _ over-the-top. Two mugs of his specialty to hold us over; she’s hungry and we have to wait for Hades.”

The woman’s jaw dropped. Hythlodaeus felt her gaze dart from him to Eudora before she hissed.

“I thought this was a date!”

“It  _ is _ until Hades arrives. Don’t ruin it for me,” he hissed back, before an idea struck him. Hythlodaeus smiled; he leaned in close to Fara. “On second thought, deploy the children. That should buy me more time.”

An impish grin stretched across Fara’s face as she nodded.

“Where do I send them?”

Hythlodaeus hummed as he tried to figure out where Hades could have gone. There were really only two places.

“Have some wait outside the Capitol and the rest near his typical exits from the Akadaemia. They’ll know what I mean”

“Will do, Boss,” she whispered before raising her voice to include Eudora. “Please, follow me.”

Fara guided them through the crowded restaurant to a booth located in a recessed nook towards the back of the dining area. A curtain covered the entrance to the space; it was sheer enough for light to pass through, but thick enough to obscure the features of those behind it.

“Should I give you a moment to peruse the menu or would both of you prefer the day’s special?” the woman asked while the pair took their seats. 

Hythlodaeus glanced curiously at Eudora. His old friend stared at both of them before shrugging.

“I don’t know. I’ll go with whatever you suggest, Daeus.”

“And I, for one, trust Karavi’s judgement,” Hythlodaeus said to Fara, who readied a pencil and a notepad. “Let him know we’ll have his special and another for Emet-Selch. He’ll be joining us once he wraps up some business. He’ll likely want a drink as well; do you have any more of the red he likes?”

Fara hummed a moment, tapping the pencil on her lower lip.

“I’m not sure that we do. Would the Oxylusian be alright if we don’t?”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine; I’ve never seen him turn away a bottle of Oxylusian Red. Thank you, Fara.”

The woman beamed at him in response. She stepped out of the nook and lowered the curtain, granting the pair their privacy.

Eudora studied the paintings on the surrounding walls depicting some of the outer districts of Amaurot. Her gaze lingered on the intricate ironwork of the ceiling light, a design Hythlodaeus was proud of and had worked on for the better part of a week. The sight of her marveling at it warmed his heart.

“Well Dori,” he said softly and smiled at her from across the booth. “What do you think of Amaurot? Have you been back since you left?”

“No, I haven’t, but it feels like Amaurot hasn’t changed,” she confessed, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the table between them. “Emet-Selch—no,  _ Hades _ —showed me around the city and it’s almost as if I just left yesterday. I could probably find my way around with no trouble.”

“Probably,” he agreed with a chuckle. “Amaurot prides itself on its immutability. It’ll likely remain the same until the end of time.” 

After a second’s worth of silence, he reached across the table to fondly pat her folded hands. Her gaze locked with his through their masks. For a moment, he was tempted to remove his mask despite his typical reservations. He wanted her to  _ see _ him—and to see  _ her _ in return. Hythlodaeus settled for speaking, instead.

“I can’t say anything about Hades, but… I missed you, Dori. I’m glad that you’re back in Amaurot. I hope you stay regardless of the Convocation’s decision.”

Eudora moved her hands, allowing him to take them in his. As he expected, her hands were smaller than his and soft. His thumbs idly rubbed against her skin while he felt her eyes lower to their hands.

“You remembered me,” she noted quietly. “I had always hoped you would, but I figured the two of you would have moved on after I seemingly vanished.”

“How could I forget you Dori? You were our friend. You treated me like I was  _ normal _ .”

“But you  _ aren’t _ normal,” she insisted with a soft smile and a gentle squeeze of his hands. “You’re amazing. You’ve helped create a restaurant—which is one of the busiest I’ve ever seen—and you’re the Architect’s Chief. Not many people can claim to have achieved that, aether-capable or not.”

Warmth spread across his cheeks at her praise. He lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of it as he whispered his thanks. His eyes caught the faint blush colour her face and he smiled.

“Tell me how life has treated you, dearest Dori. You seem as happy as you were when we were children.” 

“I am, to be honest,” she admitted, sitting up a little straighter in her seat. “But it’s mostly thanks to Lukos.”

A dark feeling seized Hythlodaeus at the sound of a man’s name on her lips. It dug its claws into his heart and he had to forcibly keep himself from demanding to know who and where he was. Instead, he swallowed the jealousy knotting his throat and tilted his head inquisitively.

“Is that so? Why do you say that?”

“We met soon after my parents moved us to the coast. He took care of me and actually paid attention to me while the other researchers in the camp ignored me.” A warm smile lit up her face. Her aquamarine soul shone with happiness. “I call him my ‘mentor’, but he’s really more of a father to me. He’s the reason I even considered applying to the empty Convocation seat.”

Eudora’s explanation eased the jealousy clinging to Hythlodaeus. Before he could say anything more, Karavi stepped through the curtain with a mug of hot chocolate in each hand. The white-masked man grinned at them as he set a drink in front of each one.

“One for Daeus’ friend and one for Daeus himself,” he announced. “It should keep the hunger at bay until Hades arrives. Bad news, though. I tore the storeroom apart looking for both Oxylusian Red and Lethe Burgundy. Seems Morph forgot to restock both of them.”

Karavi leaned in. Strands of his straight, pale blue hair slipped out from below his black hood as he whispered a report.

“The children sighted him coming out of Anyder. They’re distracting him as best they can, but he’s determined to evade them—and evidently annoyed. What are your orders, my friend?”

“Shea has helped in the past when Hades has run out of his preferred drink,” Hythlodaeus replied in a normal tone. An easy smile crossed his face as he looked up at Karavi. “Hades even declared his whiskey a good enough substitute for wine.”

His business partner sighed, but nodded in understanding.

“I could run someone over to fetch a bottle or two. Shea isn’t cheap, though, and you know he’s tight-fisted when it comes to his products.”

Hythlodaeus’ smile grew wider. He pat the other man on the arm.

“If his majesty complains, let him know that  _ I _ know some information he’s been itching to get his hands on. That should more than cover it.”

“Right,” Karavi murmured with another nod. “It’ll take about half a bell to get here. Hopefully Hades will arrive by then.”

_ Meaning the children and Shea could buy me about half a bell _ , Hythlodaeus mentally noted. 

“Thank you, Karavi. Before you run off, let me introduce you. This is Eudora, a childhood friend.”

“Oh!  _ That _ Eudora? Wonderful!” The man cried out with a large grin. “Welcome back to Amaurot! A pleasure to finally meet you.”

“You’d heard of me?” she asked. 

“I had!” Karavi continued, ignoring Hythlodaeus tugging on his sleeve. “Every now and then, Daeus would tell us all the trouble the two of you would drag Hades into. He’d then get all wistful and hope you were doing well, wherever you were. What brings you back?” 

“You could say it was business,” she replied, but her tone was off-handed and her attention was fully on Hythlodaeus. 

Karavi smirked and nudged Hythlodaeus with his elbow.

“You’re welcome,” he whispered before slipping out of the booth.

“You really did miss me,” Eudora observed quietly.

Hythlodaeus sighed, lowering his gaze to the table between them.

“I did,” he confessed. 

Rustling fabric made Hythlodaeus look up in time to see Eudora slip out of her side of the booth and into his. She smiled at him as he moved down to give her space. Her hands came up to either side of her hood; they stopped short of pulling the fabric back.

“Do you mind if I lower it?” she asked. “I’ve gotten used to being without a hood and robes and these are honestly suffocating me.”

“Not at all. Please, get comfortable.”

Her hands pushed the hood off and shook out her long, blonde hair. She sighed in relief as she fanned herself with both hands. His eyes darted over every ilm of her uncovered head, thankful that his mask concealed his gaze. 

“This morning’s rain didn’t help at all,” she added. “I feel like it just made everything worse.”

“Rain can do that,” he observed. He slid his mug over to her before reaching across the table to fetch the other one. “Try it. Karavi’s particularly proud of his hot chocolate.”

Eudora lifted his mug to her lips and took a sip. She licked her lips with a satisfied hum, blew on the frothy liquid, and drank some more. When the blonde lowered the mug back to the table, Hythlodaeus noticed some of the foam smeared on the beak of her mask. 

“Ah, here. Let me help you,” he said.

Taking care not to knock her mask askew, Hythlodaeus slowly wiped the foam off with his finger. He brought it to his mouth where he licked the froth from his digit. 

“What do you think?” he prompted the staring woman. 

Eudora started in her seat and quickly shook her head before looking down at the mug. 

“Uh… it’s… the chocolate’s good! I-I can see why he’s so proud of it.”

“I’m glad to hear; we worked hard on the recipe.”

She lifted her gaze again, jaw lowering in surprise. 

“You helped him?”

Hythlodaeus chuckled and took a sip of hot chocolate before responding.

“Did you really expect me to co-own a restaurant and not have a hand in its dishes? Karavi and I came up with the menu together—and that included perfecting his hot chocolate.” He smirked at her around the rim of his mug. “Would you like for me to teach you a few recipes, Dori? A bit more effort goes into the process than simply pulling the meal from the aether, but it  _ does _ taste better. Not to mention the  _ satisfaction  _ that comes from having prepared your own meal.”

Eudora smiled just as Hythlodaeus sensed Hades approaching through his bond. He kept the scowl from his face and the disappointment from bleeding into their connection.

_ That was  _ ** _not_ ** _ half a bell, Karavi. _

“I’d love to learn,” she said. “Maybe when Hades gives me a break from the Convocation meetings and the trial.”

“At your leisure, dearest Dori,” he replied with a smile. 

Hades pulled the curtain aside, annoyance etched across every visible part of his face. It briefly deepened when he saw Hythlodaeus and Eudora sitting on the same side of the booth. He sat opposite them without a word as Fara followed with a glass of whiskey. She set it in front of him before informing the trio that their meal would arrive soon.

Hythlodaeus studied his oldest friend. His violet and bright red soul bristled behind the barrier that typically hid it away from the rest of the world.

“What happened?” he asked. 

Hades’ soul flared before he responded.

“Nothing,” he replied curtly. “Everything is fine. Everything will  _ be _ fine.”

Hythlodaeus prodded through their connection while Hades took a deep breath.

_ Tell me, Hades. What happened at the Akadaemia? _

_ Nothing, _ came the hissed reply while Hades drank deeply from the glass.  _ Although if you knew I was there, then I assume you know why those children descended on me to ask all those questions  _ ** _and_ ** _ why Nabriales stopped me to ask me some mundane questions regarding the construction of a boutique that I frankly can’t even recall him applying for?  _

_ Perhaps, _ he admitted. 

He felt Hades’ gaze sweep over him and Eudora. Suspicion bled into their bond—with a hint of jealousy that surprised Hythlodaeus.

_ Why are the two of you so close together? _

_ Perhaps we should speak verbally, _ Hythlodaeus replied with an innocent smile.  _ Dori may be wondering why we’re sitting in silence. _

“Fine, we won’t speak of work then,” he said so Eudora would hear. “We can find other things to talk about, can’t we Hades?”

“There’s one thing I need to say first,” Hades interjected, focusing on Eudora. “I need to know that I have your full trust.”

The blonde’s lips bent into a worried frown.

“Why?”

“ _ No _ ,” Hades spat in a low growl. Anger flared up through their bond, forcing Hythlodaeus to shut down their connection before it overwhelmed him. “Yes or no. Either I do or I don’t.”

Eudora seemed to study him for a moment. Hythlodaeus wondered what Hades was planning, but held his tongue. Slowly, the woman beside him nodded.

“You do. You agreed to sponsor me despite not knowing or even recalling that we were friends. That counts for something in my eyes.”

Bit by bit, Hades relaxed. The pressure building in their closed connection eased until Hythlodaeus felt it was safe to open it again. He sensed his old friend’s relief at her response.

“Good,” the other man murmured before lifting his glass with a forced smirk. “Then let’s ignore business like Daeus suggested. To renewed friendships.”

The three of them toasted. A moment later, however, a question came through his bond to Hades.

_ Daeus, were you flirting with her before I arrived? _

He smiled at his twin from across the table. 

_ What if I was? Don’t tell me you were hoping to flirt with her yourself. You swore off all relationships after the  _ ** _last_ ** _ one, remember? _

Hades remained silent. That same  _ pang _ of jealousy echoed through their connection once again, but he couldn’t tell at whom it was aimed. Hythlodaeus raised his eyebrows in surprise underneath his mask.

_ Hades… which one of us are you jealous of? _

The other man fully averted his gaze in favor of studying the vague shadows on the opposite side of the curtain. Hythlodaeus hummed thoughtfully at the reaction. 

“Dori, why not tell us what you’ve been doing since you left Amaurot?” he asked, fixing the woman beside him with a smile. “We’d both love to hear it.”

Eudora beamed at the pair, drawing Hades’ attention back to her. Hythlodaeus sensed a hint of curiosity from the other man. He hid his smile behind his mug as a plan came together in his mind.

The trio wandered the city after their meal, retreading old steps and recalling childhood memories. When they found themselves at the bridge where they had first revealed their faces to each other, Hades suggested they do so again—and they did.

The following day, Hades took Eudora to the Capitol to introduce her to the rest of the Convocation. The former sent a message to Hythlodaeus stating that he would leave the Capitol late and not to wait for him. Hythlodaeus smiled to himself and prepared to enact his plan.

He remained behind after the Bureau closed for the day and waited for Eudora to return to Hades’ apartment. He relaxed in one of the armchairs in the sitting room—maskless, wearing a light blue dress shirt and pale grey slacks and vest —with a cup of tea in one hand and a book in the other. The key turned in the lock a few minutes into his reading.

Eudora dragged herself into the residential half of the apartment; her exhausted sigh turned into a surprised yelp when she saw Hythlodaeus sitting alone. He bit his tongue to keep from laughing at the way she hopped back a few ilms and raised her hands as if ready to punch him.

“What are you  _ doing _ here?” she demanded. “The Bureau was dark; I thought everyone had gone home.”

“I was waiting to see how it went with the Convocation,” he explained, setting aside his book as she collapsed onto the plush, white sofa. 

“It was more of an inquisition than an interview,” the woman mumbled around a decorative pillow. Her robes and mask vanished, allowing her to more easily curl up around the object in her pale blue blouse and white skirt. “I think Mitron hates me.”

Hythlodaeus frowned at the observation and ran a hand through his short, dark purple hair.

“I would say it’s less  _ that _ and more he wants to make sure you’re a good fit; he was close friends with the previous Shachar.”

Eudora grumbled something directly into the pillow that he couldn’t make out. Hythlodaeus sighed into his tea while his eyes swept over the woman, admiring the way her blonde locks caught the light. When she relaxed a few moments later, her head fell to one side; she caught Hythlodeus studying her. He would have sworn he saw a faint smile tug at the woman’s lips.

“I can’t fix his perception of you,” he said softly, “but I  _ can _ offer a distraction. How would you like to learn a simple recipe for dinner?”

She seemed to perk up at the suggestion. He smiled at her and unfolded himself from the armchair to lead her into the kitchen where he arranged the ingredients on the counter. Her silver eyes went wide as she took in the crusty bread, cherry tomatoes, thyme, olives, and goats’ cheese. 

“What are you going to make?” she asked, hand straying to the jar containing the large olives. 

Hythlodaeus gently tapped the back of her hand. She pouted, but retracted the limb as he explained.

“ _ We _ are going to make a simple—but popular—sandwich from the restaurant. I’ll make one for myself and you can follow along with your own.”

Eudora nodded. Eagerness entered her eyes as a wide grin stretched across her face. 

He started by showing her how to set the oven at the correct temperature. She seemed confused, but watched closely. Next came the bread. She watched how he cleanly cut it open before taking the knife and imitating him as closely as possible; the cut was uneven and sloped oddly towards the end, but Hythlodaeus assured her it was a good first attempt.

The purple-haired man brushed olive oil on his bread and waited for Eudora do the same with hers. He then cut thin slices from the log of goats’ cheese before arranging them on the crusty loaf and handing the cheese to her. Gnawing on her lower lip in concentration, Eudora carefully cut a slice from the log.

“Ah, a little thinner, Dori,” he advised. 

She held the knife closer to the end. Hythlodaeus shook his head and moved to stand behind her. His arms encircled her as he covered her hands with his, showing her how to hold the knife and keep the cheese steady. 

“Like this,” he whispered.

Her breath hitched while he guided her hands to carefully slice the cheese. Once she had arranged enough on her sliced loaf, Hythlodaeus took the knife from her and cut her first slice in half. He lifted one piece up to her lips while he ate the other. 

“Cook’s privilege. You get to eat the scraps,” he explained. 

Eudora made an understanding sound. She plucked the piece of cheese from his hold with her mouth and leaned into him while she chewed.

“I like it,” she declared.

“It is good on its own,” he conceded with a smile, “but it’s even better with the other ingredients in the sandwich.”

He reached over and brought the cherry tomatoes and olives closer. 

“Like the tomatoes. Slice a few in half and put them on top of the goats’ cheese. When you have as many as you like, add the olives.”

Hythlodaeus remained behind her as she worked. His hands itched to wrap around her midsection and simply  _ hold _ her, but he forced them into his pockets instead. Soon, Eudora had placed the tomato halves and olives onto her growing sandwich. She cut an olive in half and offered one to him. He held her gaze and gingerly lowered his head to take the proffered bite from her fingertips. A faint blush bloomed on her face; her lips silently moved before they finally made a sound.

“What next?”

“A bit of thyme,” he answered softly.

“What do you...” 

Her voice trailed off as he brought the herb into her reach. She gasped in realization and laughed at herself. Hythlodaeus smiled and showed her how to strip the leaves from the stem. Once she had finished, he added the missing ingredients to his own sandwich.

“Now that you’ve practiced, why not make one for Hades?” he suggested. “I’m sure he’d like to have something waiting for him after a meeting with Elidibus  _ and  _ Lahabrea.”

Eudora considered the suggestion for a moment before nodding. She fetched the ingredients herself and set about making one for Hades. Hythlodaeus kept an eye on her while he moved the other sandwiches onto a baking sheet, only stepping in to correct her when the woman came close to cutting herself with the knife.

When the three sandwiches were placed on the tray, Hythlodaeus sprinkled a little more olive oil on them and slid everything into the oven. An excited grin lit up Eudora’s face as she questioned him.

“How long do they stay in there for?”

“Until they're ready. So until the cheese is melted and the tomatoes have softened,” he replied, setting the timer beside the oven with a few taps. “I’ll check them in about twenty minutes.”

Eudora happily bounced in place at the news; the action drew a soft laugh out of him. He suddenly wanted to pull her into his arms and press a kiss to her forehead, but he crossed his arms and glanced around the kitchen. He nodded at the mess they had made. Together, they cleaned the countertops and stored the remaining ingredients before moving to the sitting room.

Hythlodaeus sat on the sofa. Eudora joined him, leaning against the other arm rest. She asked him questions about his work as Chief of the Bureau of the Architect, which he happily answered. When the timer beeped from the kitchen, he led the woman back into the room so they could both check on the sandwiches. Satisfied with how it looked, the man pulled them out, sprinkled a little salt on them and topped them with the upper half of the loaf.

The apartment door opened just as he showed Eudora how to cut the sandwich in half without ruining it. He sensed a curious tug on the bond he shared with Hades. Upon identifying the sandwich Eudora made for the brunet, Hythlodaeus placed it on a plate and handed it to the blonde.

"Go on," he whispered. "Take it to him. I'll be right behind with the other two."

Her gaze went from the sandwich to his own pale yellow eyes. He offered a gentle smile in return and watched as her cheeks slowly turned pink.

"You made it, didn't you? It's only fair that you give it to him."

"Daeus? Are you still here?" Hades called, footsteps approaching the kitchen.

“ _ Go _ Dori,” he insisted, pushing the plate into her hands. Before she could resist, he spun her around and shoved her at the door. 

The woman yelped as she made contact with Hades, who caught her before she could fall over.

“Dori? What’s going on? Did Daeus  _ push _ you out here?”

“I made you a sandwich!”

“You… you what?”

“A sandwich,” she repeated in a quieter tone. “Daeus taught me how to make it. I made my own, too, but Daeus has it with his.”

Hythlodaeus stepped out of the kitchen with a sandwich in each hand. He smiled at the openly blushing woman and his old friend and continued to the dining room.

“Welcome home, Hades! Come on, let’s have dinner. You must be hungry and Dori is  _ so _ proud of her sandwich.”

Hades stared in confusion while Eudora followed Hythlodaeus. He placed her sandwich at the head of the dining table and sat down to her left. 

“Why not sit here, Hades?” he suggested, pointing at the seat across from him and to Eudora’s right.

Suspicion seeped into him from Hades. Hythlodaeus met it with an innocent smile. The brunet cautiously took the offered seat and set his sandwich down on the table. His gaze slowly drifted over to Eudora, however, who watched him expectantly. His expression softened until he thanked the blonde in a quiet voice. Hythlodaeus caught a glimpse of Hades’ soul peek out from around the barrier that hid it. 

“Thank Daeus; he’s the one who suggested I make it in the first place.”

Another set of pale yellow eyes focused on Hythlodaeus from across the table. A word of thanks followed, but their connection carried Hades’ true question.

_ What are you planning? _

_Can’t I simply want to see you fed, dearest Hades?_ _I would sooner deprive myself than see you left out of this._

The slightest blush colored the other man’s face. 

_ We already talked about this, Daeus. We already  _ ** _tried_ ** _ this. _

_ True, but hasn’t a certain element been introduced? She may be what we lacked the first time around. _

Hades’ melancholy soaked into the bond. He lowered his eyes to the sandwich in front of him.

_ It wouldn’t work. She won’t… She won’t accept  _ ** _both _ ** _ of us. Why would she accept… me? _

“What’s wrong?” Eudora asked, leaning towards him. “You don’t want it?”

He met her gaze with a furrowed brow before locking eyes with Hythlodaeus.

“Go on; she made it all by herself,” Hythlodaeus assured him. “You don’t have to worry about me tampering with it.”

_ Dori isn’t  _ ** _her_ ** _ ,  _ Hythlodaeus reasoned. _ We’ll take it slow; warm her up to the idea of having both of us. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. Not to mention the way you look at  _ ** _her_ ** _ . I know she won’t turn you down—and she won’t judge any part of you. _

A glimmer of  _ something _ darted through Hythlodaeus’ connection to the other man. He couldn’t quite catch it, but it felt warmer than anything he had sensed from him in quite some time. Hades sighed and shook his head before smirking at Eudora.

“When you’ve been pranked by Daeus as often as I have, you start to suspect everything he may have even  _ looked _ at. Now let’s see…”

Hades picked up the sandwich and gave it a slight squeeze before taking a bite out of it. He nodded as he chewed. 

“Very nice, Dori,” he said after swallowing. “I would have never known this was your first try.”

Her face lit up at the praise; she took a bite out of her own sandwich, nodding fervently at Hythlodaeus.

“It  _ is _ good! You were right; the cheese does taste better with everything else.”

Hythlodaeus smiled.

“Of course, dearest Dori. A good sandwich is one in which the ingredients work well with each other. Maybe I’ll show you a different one tomorrow night.”

Eudora agreed enthusiastically; even Hades seemed curious as the trio ate their dinner and talked about her life on the coast.


	20. Practice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a new skill is picked up.

“Now what has your soul twisted up like  _ that _ , Dori?”

Eudora gasped and spun around to find Hades passing through the apartment to the kitchen with his coffee mug in hand. She glanced over her shoulder and moved to block his view of the tools on the dining room table. The man, wearing a dark blue dress shirt and black vest, stopped in the kitchen doorway and turned to face her.

“Alright, now I  _ know _ you’re hiding something. What is it?”

The blonde deflated and stepped aside to reveal her worksurface. The small block of wood she had been carving lay where she had dropped it amidst the wood shavings that littered the towel protecting the table top. Alongside her project lay the chisel at an awkward angle, having also fallen from her grip when Hades surprised her.

Her husband raised a curious eyebrow as he approached the scene, golden eyes sweeping over her work.

“Aren’t those Daeus’ tools?” he asked. 

“Yes,” she admitted in a soft voice and fidgeted with the sleeve of her pale blue sweater. “I asked him if he could bring them so I could practice using them.”

“But  _ why _ ?” Hades countered with a small frown. “You can create things like everyone else. You don’t need to make things by hand.”

She switched to fiddling with her hands as she leaned her hip against the table. Even though she only felt genuine curiosity through the bond they shared, she still couldn’t help but feel judged.

“I know, but I wanted to see if I  _ could _ ,” she confessed. “Daeus has always said there’s a feeling of accomplishment that comes with completing something you’ve done manually and the Wildling artisans are always so proud of their work. I just wanted to see what it felt like.”

Hades offered a comforting smile as he picked up the partially carved wood and set down his empty mug. He carefully turned the block in his hands, thumb running over the gouges and chips she had made while getting accustomed to each tool’s use. She caught the ghost of a smile on his face just before he leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. 

“I look forward to seeing what you carve,” he whispered. “I’ll check in throughout the afternoon.”

Progress on the carving was slower than Eudora would have liked. Even though she had spent years with the Wildlings, she had never appreciated exactly how long it took to actually  _ make _ something instead of just creating it. Whenever she was about to give up, however, Hades would wander over from his office and check on her progress. Regardless of how much or how little she had made, he rewarded her with a soft kiss to either her forehead or cheek and brushed any stray golden strands away from her face. The small displays were enough to urge her to continue. 

Hythlodaeus came upstairs somewhere around mid-afternoon. He sat next to her at the dining table, gently stroking her knotted and worried soul with his calm, emerald one. Silently, he held out his hand to inspect the jagged figure slowly emerging from the wooden block. Eudora handed it over, eyes locked on his face to catch even the slightest thought that crossed the purple-haired man's expression. 

She wrung her hands after a few seconds of him turning it over in his deft fingers without a sound.

"I know it's horrible," she mumbled. "I don't know how you have such fine control over those tools."

"You'll be good with them too after a few centuries," her lover teased before handing it back. "And this is a good start, my dearest. Do you mind making a wood block for me to show you a technique or two?"

The requested block appeared in her hand. He rolled back the sleeves of his white shirt before accepting it and took one of the tools with his left hand.

"Watch closely," he advised softly and leaned in until their shoulders touched.

Her gaze focused on how he held the tool and used it to strip and chip away at the block in smooth, practiced motions. After a few passes, he held the block out to her and invited her to practice on it before returning to her original piece. 

Hades wandered back out of his office to find her working away under Hythlodaeus' supervision. Her husband approached them and ran his hand through their lover's loose, dark purple hair before rewarding her with a fresh kiss on the forehead.

"You're making progress," he observed.

Eudora huffed some strands out of her face. She  _ was _ slightly better than when she started, but the edges were still rough and misshapen compared to Hythlodaeus' smooth motions. The man in question chuckled and reached over to pull her hair to one side so he could braid it for her and keep it out of her way.

"You can't expect to run when you barely know how to crawl, dearest Dori," her lover consoled her. 

"You've only just started," Hades reasoned with another comforting kiss. "Daeus is right. You can't expect to master a skill like this in one afternoon. But if you ask me, I'd say what you have here is promising."

The blonde twisted her lips into an unconvinced frown. Her husband bent over and caught her lips in a deep kiss. She reflexively leaned into him, distantly aware of Hythlodaeus taking her hand while wrapping his arm around her waist from the opposite side.

"Would I lie to you, Dori?" he asked softly.

She chuckled against his lips and opened her eyes to find his golden gaze softly studying her.

"Do you really want me to answer that honestly?" she smirked.

"She has a point there," Hythlodaeus added quietly.

Hades' face fell into a pout. He straightened up abruptly and turned on his heel to head for the kitchen. One hand lifted in a dismissive wave.

"See if I offer support ever again if the two people closest to my heart decide to  _ gang up  _ on me. The injustice of it all is enough to make me question my decisions."

Eudora bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at her husband. Her lover, on the other hand, didn't bother and burst out into peals of laughter. He stood and followed his twin into the kitchen, leaving the blonde alone in the dining room. Her silver gaze trailed back to the block she had been carving. She took the tool back in hand and carefully resumed her work.

She worked until dinner, when she packed up her things and stored them away during the meal Hades had cooked—with Hythlodaeus' help. Afterwards, Eudora vanished into the guest bedroom to continue carving in private. She arranged her work on the floor and sat down to continue.

The men knocked on the door, only for her to assure them everything was fine and she just wanted to focus. She sensed Hythlodaeus' soul stroke hers in acceptance and tug Hades away from her along with a few quiet words. 

Time didn't pass so much as fly. Bells later, Eudora realized her eyes burned and her fingers ached from the tools, but she had finally finished the small, wooden figurine. Warmth swelled within her as she set aside the tool in her hand. The woman smiled at her handiwork and rubbed her thumb over its smooth, rounded back. 

The next thing she knew, a gentle pressure enveloped her shoulders. Silver eyes groggily opened to find Hades kneeling beside her and draping a blanket over her prone form. With a sleepy hum, she sat up only to lean into her husband. White locks tickled her cheek as he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Did you sleep at all?" he whispered, concern darkening his golden eyes and contorting his violet and red soul.

"A little, I think," she confessed. "But I finished it."

"Oh? Can I see?"

Eudora opened her hand. In her palm sat the figure of a sleeping cat curled up in a little ball. It was more of a rough caricature of a cat, but the identifiable parts were there—including the long tail that wrapped around its body as if to tickle its head.

Hades' eyes lit up; his soul glimmered with restrained happiness at the sight. She smiled.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it," he confessed, carefully taking the wooden figurine and turning it over in his hands. “Will you leave it like this or paint it?”

She considered the question as she resumed leaning against her husband’s chest. Eudora hugged him, partially wrapping the blanket around him, too.

“I think I’ll leave it like that. I hadn’t really thought about what I’ll do with it once I finished,” she admitted, gnawing on her lower lip in thought. The blonde stopped and looked up at him. “Do you want it?”

His soul immediately bubbled up. A sense of joy freely flowed through their bond. A genuine smile made his lips twitch before he pulled it back into a more composed expression. A gentle cough into a fist cleared his throat from what she knew to be pent up glee.

“Would that be alright? I can have it?”

Eudora nodded. Hades kissed her before helping her stand. 

“I know just where to put it.”

He led her to the office he shared with Hythlodaeus. Since the other man was nowhere to be seen in the sunlit room, Eudora assumed he had already left for work. She leaned against her lover’s desk while Hades placed the carved figure on his desk. He beamed at the wooden cat as if it were his most prized treasure and turned to her. 

“A place of honor for your first handmade craft. I expect I’ll require more space one day,” he announced, motioning at his desk.

She cocked her head in confusion only to have Hades smirk at her. 

“Don’t tell me you’re going to stop after only one attempt. You’re going to practice, aren’t you?” he asked, rounding the desk to wrap his arms around her. “I want to see you as skilled as Daeus one day.”

Tears welled up in her eyes at the words and the reassurance that radiated from her husband’s soul. His hands came up to carefully wipe away her tears before cradling her face.

“I want you to practice until those things are spilling from my desk,” he whispered and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He bent down until his own rested against the spot he had kissed. “I don’t want you to give up—nor do I want you to spend another sleepless night working on one. Mastery will come with time; there’s no need to rush.”

Eudora pulled Hades into a tight hug and smiled into the silken fabric of his scarlet dress shirt. A muffled complaint along with a warning to watch the shirt slipped through their connection. A moment later, however, it eased into an embrace as his soul surrounded hers and they held each other closely.


	21. Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a deal is made for the sake of love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Wistala. 
> 
> Thank you for helping break my writing funk.

Hythlodaeus stood before the closed door of the darkened night club. A sigh left him as he tilted his head just enough to look up at the darkened sign that—once the sun set on Amaurot—would light up in brilliant golds and purples bright enough to be seen for blocks around. His hand hovered; fingertips just shy of brushing against the expensive wood imported from a forest on the far side of the continent whose name he had forgotten _ ages _ ago. 

He had sworn not to set foot in there again. They had each established their territory and, with it, an easy friendship. Crossing the threshold would be akin to crossing an invisible line that would invite unending trouble—even for _ him _.

But this was for them. His lovers. Two people he would _ die _for.

Hythlodaeus sighed and pushed open the door to find the interior lights were off and the large central area containing the dance floor empty. The purple-haired man frowned beneath his white mask as he stepped into the dark club. His sources had told him the man was there, tending to some business after hours. 

And his sources were _ never _ wrong.

A blink and colors filled his vision. Even within the closed nightclub, the souls that wandered Amaurot drifted aimlessly through the air before they flickered out of sight and rejoined the Underworld. Some, he noticed with growing amusement, seemed to linger around the dance floor. They bobbed to and fro as if dancing to music the living could not hear. 

More certain movement at the corner of his vision made him turn to find a man standing in an unlit doorway; his soul—rust red mottled with warm brown tones—the only thing that distinguished him from the darkness. Realizing that he had been spotted, he gestured to the lamp over his head. Light illuminated dirty blond hair combed together and then upwards in a fashion that Hades often called the very antithesis of the man’s title. His eyes were hidden behind the six-eyed mask of Nabriales while the fangs only served to accentuate his smug grin.

“Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but you swore never to set foot in here again, Daeus.”

Hythlodaeus summoned an easygoing smile to his face in an effort to conceal his apprehension at what awaited him. He had made his decision the moment he opened the door to the man’s nightclub.

“Something came up, Shea.”

The blond seemed to tense upon hearing his own name instead of that of his seat. His soul wavered while his smile softened for the briefest of moments. It almost gave Hythlodaeus hope. The words that followed carried a touch of mockery, but it did not reach down to the man’s soul which expanded before folding in on itself. Hythlodaeus had learned long ago what that particularity meant and took comfort in it.

“Is that so? It must be serious for you to come and see me _ here _ of all places instead of simply calling.”

Hythlodaeus nodded ever so slightly and lowered his hood as he addressed the other man.

“It’s hard to get you alone these days and I would have no way of assuring you _ were _if I called, so I thought it best to visit you in person.” He tilted his head and flashed a more genuine smile. “I hope you don’t mind.”

There it was. The ever so subtle bob of Shea’s throat as he swallowed. It confirmed Hythlodaeus’ suspicions and made guilt drag his heart into the pit of his stomach. He never enjoyed manipulating others, but for _ them _…

“Of course not, Daeus. Why not come to the back? I’ll make you a drink and you can get comfortable.”

The invitation came just as Shea turned on his heel and vanished down the dark hallway. His aether lingered just long enough in the air before fading into the ambient energies of the empty club. Hythlodaeus followed the man, rounding the corner to enter the private office from which Shea had always run his small, business empire. 

By the time he arrived, Shea’s robe and mask had already vanished to reveal he was wearing a dark blue shirt with its long sleeves rolled up to the elbows and a pair of ivory pants. Even from his place in the doorway Hythlodaeus could see the black ink that decorated the man’s forearms. One in particular caught his eye as Shea set a kettle onto a hot plate atop a small counter in a corner of the office: a scorpion along the underside of his arm. He found himself smiling at the thought that he had finally gotten his celebratory tattoo…

Shea’s voice drew him out of his thoughts. He addressed Hythlodaeus without looking at him while crouching down to take two mugs out of a cabinet below the counter.

“When I heard you come in, I honestly thought someone had been stupid enough to break in and rob one of my places. You’re lucky I recognized you slinking around in the dark otherwise you’d be waking up a couple hours from now with a monstrously bad headache… and not for the _ right _ reasons.” He paused as he straightened up and finally glanced at Hythlodaeus. “You still enjoy tea, right?”

Once Hythlodaeus had nodded, Shea bent down once more to fetch a tin from the same cabinet as the mugs along with a teapot. He placed the latter on the counter before scooping a couple spoonfuls of tea leaves into it. The blond nodded to one of the chairs in front of his desk while the kettle came to a boil.

“Go ahead and take a seat. Tell me what could be so serious that it brought you halfway across the city.”

Hythlodaeus studied the chair for a moment before shaking his head and removing his robes and mask. Shea froze when he noticed the uncharacteristically dark clothes he had chosen: a black vest over a scarlet dress shirt and black slacks. Having quickly made up his mind that morning, Hythlodaeus had grabbed the first things he found in the closet—which happened to belong to Hades, a fact he was suddenly aware of when he realized how the silken cloth hugged his torso. 

The other man’s brows drew together as his gaze swept over Hythlodaeus from head to toe, swallowing when his dark eyes rose back up in time to see the purple-haired man remove his white mask.

“You’ve… gained weight,” he observed. “And let your hair grow out. You look good.”

The praise brought an unexpected warmth to his cheeks. He turned away to drape his robe over the back of the other chair and set his mask on Shea’s desk. Clearing his throat, he found himself offering an explanation.

“An expected effect of training under a Wildling. I’m sure you’ve heard of Lahabrea’s friend who has begun teaching in the Akadaemia.” 

Shea scoffed as he moved the empty mugs to his desk.

“Heard of him? The man causes a commotion whenever he goes out without that wooden mask of his. Give Fandaniel half a chance and he’ll complain about it until your ear falls off.”

At that, Hythlodaeus chuckled. For a moment, being with Shea felt the way it had all those decades ago: warm, sincere, _ comfortable _. It almost stifled the fresh pang of guilt that shot through him.

“Lukos does enjoy testing citydwellers and seeing our reactions,” Hythlodaeus admitted, recalling a conversation with the Wildling. “The mask is for when he needs to pass unnoticed, otherwise he goes without and cites an obscure law for the reason.”

“I’ll be sure to let Fandaniel know,” came the flat quip as Shea poured boiling water into the teapot and set it on the desk. He sat across from Hythlodaeus and motioned to the chair once more. “But I know you didn’t cross the city just to talk about Wildlings. What’s on your mind?”

With a heavy sigh, Hythlodaeus finally took the proffered seat. He folded his hands in his lap to keep from snatching up his mask and fidgeting with it in his sudden unease. Having been reluctant to come in the first place, at this juncture he could only hope it hadn’t been a mistake.

“Shea, what I am about to tell you _ cannot _ leave this room.”

The other man frowned, but nodded; even his soul grew still and attentive as he listened.

“You are undoubtedly aware that Emet-Selch and Shachar have been absent from the Convocation since their return to Amaurot a few days ago.”

“I am. Elidibus said that Emet-Selch told him they needed time to process the information they had collected during their trip and asked to be excused from the sessions until they were ready to present their findings.”

“Yes… only, that wasn’t Emet-Selch…”

Shea’s brow furrowed in confusion. His mouth worked in silence while dark eyes focused on Hythlodaeus. They suddenly lit up with a realization. 

“It was _ you _. You did the twin trick again.”

The purple-haired man lowered his gaze. From the other man’s scoff, it was enough of a confession. 

“Are they even _ in _ the city?” Shea spat, crossing his arms. “Don’t tell me they’ve gone off on holiday of all things!”

“Don’t be _ ridiculous _ ,” Hythlodaeus hissed, glaring at the blond. “Emet-Selch may complain and drag his feet, but he isn’t one to completely shirk his duties. Even if he _ were, _Shachar wouldn’t let him.”

Shea scoffed once more at the rebuke and leaned back in his seat. 

“So if they aren’t stealing a break, then what is it that would prevent Emet-Selch—or even Shachar—from reporting directly to Elidibus? Don’t tell me they caught some strange disease from whatever blighted place they visited.”

“Of course not. It was contracted en route.”

The other man’s jaw fell open; his soul flared the way it did whenever his temper suddenly spiked.

“And how do you know _ you _ don’t have it?! For all you know you’ve just spread it to half the city coming here!”

Hythlodaeus shook his head. He reflexively reached out with his own soul to stroke that of Shea. When they touched, the rust red soul of the other man wrapped around his like it once had. He plainly felt the man’s anger—and the concern that hid beneath it. Hythlodaeus offered him a reassuring smile as he let the feeling bleed into their touch. 

“It isn’t contagious. Lukos and I have been caring for them since they returned and neither of us are showing any symptoms. Shachar is the more keenly affected, although Emet-Selch isn’t faring much better. He managed to teleport himself along with an unconscious Shachar back from across the sea before collapsing in… our home,” Hythlodaeus finished hesitantly, worried about how Shea may take the news.

Where he expected surprise, Hythlodaeus instead saw _ relief _. Shea began slowly—carefully—stroking his soul in return as the blond relaxed in his seat. A sudden calm flowed into Hythlodaeus from the other man.

"Good," he murmured under his breath before smirking at him. "At least I won't have to report you to the Health Bureau for spreading some unknown disease. But why come to me? Surely Mitron would have been the better Convocation member to seek out."

"Lukos and I had considered it, but we are reluctant to tell too many people and cause a panic."

"So you came to someone who regularly keeps secrets?" Shea grinned as he filled Hythlodaeus' mug with black tea.

The purple-haired man quietly laughed despite his worries.

"I came to you because I thought you might know something or heard a whisper of the affliction. It's peculiar and not something Lukos has encountered on any of his travels. It… it’s affecting their _ aether _, Shea. Emet-Selch is at least conscious enough for us to observe symptoms of dizziness and bouts of weakness where he can't even move. Shachar hasn't so much as stirred since she returned."

The news brought a frown to Shea’s face. He pulled his own mug close while his soul hugged Hythlodaeus, who reflexively leaned and relaxed into the comfortable warmth.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "No wonder you're so worried. If it's aether-based, why not consult Lahabrea?"

"Lukos chose to visit him. I chose you," Hythlodaeus explained quietly.

_ That _ seemed to catch Shea off guard and make him stare at Hythlodaeus. He recovered quickly, however, bringing the mug up for a sip. Hythlodaeus finally picked up his drink and mirrored the action. Immediately, the smell struck him for its familiarity and the taste reminded him of long nights in the dark club and waking in a warm bed with— 

Hythlodaeus shook his head before taking a sip.

"I see you haven't forgotten how to brew a decent cup."

"I had a good teacher."

He smiled into the brew. A deep inhalation preceded a careful sip of the hot liquid.

"You weren't surprised," he observed. "To hear I share a home with Emet-Selch and Shachar. They may make it obvious, but I would have thought myself more subtle about the entire affair."

Shea tapped the tip of his nose. 

"I can smell your cologne on them whenever I pass by. It's completely different from the scent they both wear… and one I still say is a perfect fit for you."

"I have you to thank for introducing me to it," he murmured, hiding his encroaching blush with another sip of tea.

"An equivalent exchange," came the soft reply accompanied by a muted tap on Shea’s mug. "I'll ask my contacts along the route they would have taken; should have an answer for you in the morning. I suspect you're eager to get back to them."

Hythlodaeus hummed in agreement. A nod reinforced the sound, but he made no effort to move. When he felt the grip of Shea’s soul loosen, he glanced up with a cocked eyebrow.

"The least I can do is stay for one cup," he insisted with a stroke of Shea's soul.

The other man smiled. His soul retracted, but stayed within easy reach.

"Of course."

Minutes passed in silence. Each man sipped from his own mug and kept his eyes on the cooling tea in their hands. When he was halfway through, Hythlodaeus sighed into the remaining brew and finally addressed the man on the other side of the desk.

“You haven’t mentioned payment. Surely the Majestic is not about to give away information for _ free _—especially not to his rival.”

Shea watched him for a moment, his soul suddenly going still and unreadable. The blond cocked his head as if to consider his price; he tapped his finger on the side of the mug in a slow, pensive rhythm. After a moment, he smirked.

“You cannot afford to pay my price, Daeus… Nor am I about to charge you the full rate of what I would _ truly _ desire. No, Daeus… you cannot afford me, so don’t bother offering.” 

Hythlodaeus stared at the other man, eyes slowly widening the longer he watched. His heart leapt into his throat, strangling whatever argument arose there with its deep yet painful beating. With some effort, he managed to work a few words around it.

“Shea, I—”

“Don’t. Insist.”

The two words stopped Hythlodaeus as Shea leveled a stern look at him, blond brows furrowing over dark eyes.

“It is _ rude _ , Daeus,” the man explained. “I’ve already told you that you cannot afford to pay the price I would ask of you. You cannot give me the one thing I want most on this star, so do not argue. Consider this a favor; a gift from an old _ friend _—nothing more—who would see you happy once again.”

A simple nod was the only reaction he could muster in lieu of a verbal response. Shea’s cool words had thrown a proverbial wrench into his plans, leaving the purple-haired man to stare through the desk as he mechanically resumed sipping his tea. Hythlodaeus had been prepared to offer _ anything _ for the faint chance that Shea might be able to find information regarding the affliction plaguing his lovers. He should be relieved to get it for free, yet guilt sent another sharp pang through his chest.

A quiet sigh from Shea made Hythlodaeus refocus his attention on the blond. 

“Then again, I suppose you’ve always had an issue with accepting gifts… Let me think of a price and I’ll send the tab to your restaurant. Is that more agreeable to you?”

Hythlodaeus managed a reluctant nod. Taking a moment to clear his throat, he somehow formulated a response.

“It is. I don’t want you going easy on me just because of our… history,” he added, almost losing his conviction. “Name whatever price you like and have it sent to the restaurant; they’ll make sure I get it.”

Shea hid a swallow behind a sip of tea and nodded. He stood with his mug and made his way to the door without another look at Hythlodaeus, who almost reached out and grabbed his wrist as it passed.

“I’ll start asking my contacts if they know anything. Leave the mug when you’re done; I’ll take care of it.”

Hythlodaeus called his name, stopping the man before he could fully vanish through the door. He smiled at Shea’s back despite knowing the other couldn’t see it. 

“Thank you,” he said softly. “I… can only imagine—”

“No. You don’t,” Shea interrupted without facing him. For the briefest of moments, Hythlodaeus saw the man’s rust red soul flare up in pain. “You are a talented man, Daeus, but you cannot begin to imagine what I feel or what I _ think _. Good night, old friend; you’ll hear from me in the morning.”

With that, Shea stepped through the door, leaving Hythlodaeus to finish his tea.

  
Hythlodaeus had kept the same post ever since Hades appeared in their office with an unconscious Eudora hanging off him: an armchair at the foot of the bed where his lovers lay. From there, he could see Hades occasionally move or mutter some sort of complaint under his breath while Eudora lay curled up on her side—her favorite sleeping position. When he found out about the condition she was in, Lukos hurried to the apartment and brought his own chair from the dining room to sit in vigil over the woman, blue eyes tracking each rise and fall of her chest. Now and then, Hythlodaeus managed to convince the white-haired Wildling to get up and stretch his legs or grab something to eat. For the most part, however, they remained in the room and hoped for the slightest sign of improvement.

That night—and the following morning—however, saw an addition to the room. Aristotelis had abandoned the red mask of Lahabrea the moment he entered the apartment with Lukos in tow and taken to observing both of, what he referred to as, “his patients”. The blond was hesitant to tell either Lukos or Hythlodaeus of his suspicions, and instead asked that he be given a few hours to study them and their aether before he discussed anything with either of them.

The morning sunlight peeking around the drawn curtains roused Hythlodaeus from where he had fallen asleep in his chair. The ensuing stretch and popping joints drew Aristotelis’ attention, who offered him a warm-yet-tired smile from his seat near the window where he was reading a book.

“You should have slept in the spare room.”

“I should do many things that I do not, Aris,” he responded with a yawn, looking over at the empty chair near Eudora. “What happened to Lukos?”

“My old friend is surprisingly less stubborn than you; he’s taking a nap on the sofa.”

Before Hythlodaeus could retort with anything, he noticed a faint stirring in Hades’ soul that usually signified a moment of consciousness. He stood and walked over to sit on the bed next to his white-haired twin just as Hades groggily opened his eyes. Hythlodaeus gave him the best smile that he could.

“Hey, how do you feel?” he asked softly. “Can you move today?”

A barely noticeable twitch in Hades’ face along with an annoyed thrashing of his violet and bright red soul gave Hythlodaeus his answer. He chuckled, despite the despair leaking into him through their bond. Pale yellow eyes on the verge of frustrated tears focused on Hythlodaeus—who immediately shook his head and pressed a gentle kiss to his lover’s cheek.

“No… no, my dearest Hades, no need for that,” Hythlodaeus assured him, carefully wiping the tears away. “You’re going to get better. Dori, too. Lukos fetched Aris last night and he’s been observing you since. I’m sure he’ll figure out what’s wrong with both of you so you can get better.”

Hades’ gaze moved to focus on Aristotelis who approached the bed upon hearing his name and gave a small wave. A quiet, drawn out groan slipped through Hades’ lips which made Hythlodaeus smile more genuinely.

“Good to see you still have the energy to do _ that _,” he observed, patting and squeezing his lover’s hand. “Hold on to it.”

When Hades weakly hummed in response, Hythlodaeus leaned down to kiss his cheek once more. Aristotelis addressed him as he sat up.

“You should take a moment to take care of yourself,” the blond advised. “Make breakfast for yourself and Lukos. Knowing him, he hasn’t eaten since he heard about his little one. Maybe make a broth that we can carefully give to Dori so her body doesn’t consume itself. I’ll stay and try to ask Hades a few questions.”

Hythlodaeus nodded, running his hand through Hades’ long, white hair before standing up. He smiled once more, sending the reassurance through his bond to the other man—and even a bit of it to the silenced bond he shared with Eudora. Although their bond had fallen silent since her return, he hoped she could at least feel whatever emotions he put into it. 

Hades, on the other hand, sighed, and closed his eyes as he responded with not the _ smallest _ hint of annoyance at Aristotelis’ presence. Hythlodaeus turned to leave the bedroom, trying not to let any amusement slip into the bond upon hearing the Akadaemia professor’s words.

“Times like this make me wish I had your skill at scanning memories, Hades… It would make finding out what happened so much easier. We’ll have to make do with blinks, instead, as I ask you questions; one to denote a negative and two for a positive. How does that sound?”

Annoyance flared through the bond from Hades’ end. Had he the ability, Hythlodaeus knew his lover would be shouting at Aristotelis and dismissing the suggestion as the mode ludicrously tedious idea to enter the professor’s mind. Instead, he fumed in silence. The purple-haired man allowed some of his amusement to pass into Hades as he made his way to the kitchen, stopping to check on the sleeping Wildling on the sofa. 

Lukos startled awake at his approach, hands tensed into claws and ready to attack. Upon realizing it was only Hythlodaeus, however, he relaxed back onto the white sofa with one hand draped over his eyes to block out the light. A quick exchange of words and the younger man continued to the kitchen while the older silently followed him. 

A simple breakfast—fresh fruits accompanied by a few chunks of hard cheese—and a pot of tea later, Hythlodaeus admitted he felt better. The condition of his two lovers still worried him, but he felt hopeful after he and Lukos had sought out help to find a cure for whatever had afflicted them. In terms of aether, there were few that were more knowledgeable about the matter than the current Lahabrea who had been studying it for most of his life. Whatever he could not find out would most likely be filled in by Shea’s information. The man was in a similar position as Hythlodaeus after all—nothing escaped their respective informants scattered throughout the city, in his own case, or abroad in Shea’s case. 

Aristotelis joined them just as Hythlodaeus began chopping vegetables and preparing some bones from Lukos’ previous dinner to make into a broth for Eudora. Both men grew still as they watched the blond man prepare himself a cup of coffee—circumventing the brewing process by extracting the essence from a few spoonfuls of coffee beans with his magic and placing it into a cup of warm water. They watched him lean against the counter and idly pick at the remains of their breakfast while sipping his coffee.

Lukos eventually broke it with a single, impatient demand. 

“_Well _?”

The man bolted upright at the snarled word. His bright red eye widened with realization; his pale, scarred eye less so. For a moment, he bore an uncharacteristically sheepish expression as he glanced at the other two.

“Oh! My apologies; I hadn’t realized you wanted an _ immediate _ report.”

“Aris, you _ harebrained _—!”

“Let him report and then you can insult him, Lukos,” Hythlodaeus interjected.

Aristotelis nodded to the younger man before offering a pleading smile to his old friend. 

“Right. Well. From what I could determine from Hades’ answers, Eudora was the first to be afflicted. She confessed that she was beginning to feel ill—mainly fatigue and bouts of dizziness—on the way to their destination. To her credit, she soldiered on through their task… only to collapse once out of sight of the city officials. Hades had also begun experiencing similar symptoms, but kept it from her. I would imagine to ease her worries, but that is pure conjecture. It was apparently at that point that he teleported back to Amaurot with her rather than waste time retracing their route and I assume Daeus knows the rest.”

Hythlodaeus nodded. A question sprung to his lips, but Lukos posed it first.

“What do you think it is? It can’t be an illness; we would have caught it by now.”

Another nod from the professor as he sipped his coffee and bit a thin slice of cheese. 

“I was arriving at that. It does not seem to be contagious, from what I can perceive. In fact, it seems to have directly affected their _ aether _ rather than their bodies. Latched on to it in some way and propagated throughout their system from there. The physical symptoms are merely related to their aetheric ones. I considered the possibility of a virus, but struggle to explain the effect on their aetheric system. It’s strange, to be frank; I’ve not seen nor read of its like before. Where a healthy system is free flowing throughout the body, theirs is almost stagnant. I cannot discern foreign aether within them, which can only mean it has disguised itself to appear as their own. Which makes me reconsider the possibility of it being a heretofore unseen virus. Honestly it would be a rather remarkable adaptation if—”

“In short, they have a sort of aether sickness?” Hythlodaeus interrupted with a frown.

“That’s one way to phrase it, yes.”

“The more _ concise _ way,” Lukos sighed, crossing his arms. “How do you think it can be treated?”

“That, I cannot say without further investigation. Which would likely involve me taking their same route.”

“And that is what you get for asking an Akadaemic! A micro-lecture verging on tangential and a pile of conjecture. Honestly, Daeus, you’re lucky you thought to fetch me.”

Hythlodaeus spun around to find a maskless Shea standing in the doorway to the kitchen with one hand on his hip and the other holding a takeaway cup from a nearby café. His clothing was more somber than the previous night’s outfit, being a pair of navy pants with a light blue dress shirt. Regardless, Lukos immediately snarled at him.

"How did you get in here?!"

"The door, like everyone else," came the reply along with a knowing smirk.

"It was _ locked _," the older man insisted, increasingly aggravated by the calm newcomer.

"It was! But a lock is easy to pick as long as you take your time with it."

Before Lukos could throw Shea out of the apartment, Hythlodaeus darted forward to place himself between the two men. He waved the Wildling back to his seat while addressing the young blond.

"Why didn't you knock, Shea?"

"I can't make a grand entrance if I _ knock _ , Daeus." He leaned closer, smirk widening into a grin as he canted his head to one side and watched the taller man. "Besides, _ you _ didn't," he added in a whisper.

Hythlodaeus stared at him, mouth slowly falling agape. Aristotelis, on the other hand, proved more difficult to silence. He raised an accusatory finger at his young coworker.

"We shall leave the issue of your lockpicking and trespassing for another time. What are you doing here, Nabriales? We are discussing important matters."

"Matters upon which I have come to shed a light, Lahabrea," Shea said, sidestepping Hythlodaeus to enter the kitchen. "I came at the behest of the Architect's Chief. The lot of you should consider yourselves _ lucky _ that my network extends so far as the sands of El’waseht. I know exactly what happened to my _ dear _ colleagues."

Hythlodaeus turned on his heel and placed himself once more between Shea and the other men, blocking the annoyed glare Aristotelis shot his fellow Convocation member. 

"You already heard back? What did your contacts have to say?"

With a smirk, Shea paused to take a sip of his coffee—the smell of which wafted to Hythlodaeus and reminded the purple-haired man of long afternoons spent outside a café sipping sweet, warm drinks the likes of which would make Hades grimace.

Pain shot through his chest at the memory along with the others he had inadvertently drawn up the previous night. Guilt crept into the hollow places left behind. To think he considered betraying his lovers, even if it was to save them…

To think he would still do it if it assured their return.

"Didn't I tell you I'd have something for you in the morning? I have a reputation to uphold, Daeus. My word is my bond after all."

Shea stepped around him, finishing off the rest of his coffee and placing the empty container on the counter before facing the others.

"Now listen, Lahabrea. _ This _ is how you explain something concisely," he announced with a smirk. “What Shachar and Emet-Selch are experiencing is known as aetheric poisoning; a well-known condition to the desert nomads and Wildlings. According to my source, the Amaurotine travelers were seen camping overnight at a certain oasis that is—in fact—an aetheric wellspring. Apparently those who spend too long in its vicinity develop symptoms similar to that shown by my colleagues. Actually, they develop worse symptoms _ sooner _. That they managed to stave off the worst of it for so long is a testament to their aetheric strength.”

The man hesitated, dark eyes darting to Hythlodaeus before focusing on the older men.

“With time, however, even Emet-Selch will end up like Shachar.”

Aristotelis scowled at the news while Lukos growled in annoyance. Hythlodaeus did his best to keep his sudden worry from leaking into his bond with Hades; he sighed in an attempt to release it in _ some _ form. Before Aristotelis could begin interrogating Shea, Hythlodaeus cut him off by asking his own question.

“Did your source tell you of a way to treat the poisoning?”

“Of course,” came the smug reply. Shea pulled a folded piece of paper from the pocket of his pants and held it up between two fingers. “The nomads and the Wildlings worked together to devise a treatment that would draw out the foreign aether and open up the flow of aether in the body. Luckily, my source gave me the nomad’s schematic for the concept.” He held it out to Lukos and Aristotelis. “I’m sure the two of you are more than capable of recreating it.”

The pair snatched the paper out of Shea’s fingers and hurried to the bedroom, leaving them alone. Hythlodaeus watched them bicker at each other on their way—one demanding the other allow him to _ see _ the concept first to make sure it was sound. A faint sense of concern filtered through the bond when they entered the bedroom, still squabbling with each other like children.

A sudden calm fell over the kitchen—as if everything were moving in slow motion. The older men’s voices slowed to near-incomprehensibility from where they leisurely drifted through the doorway. Hythlodaeus’ brows furrowed as he glanced after them and then focused his golden gaze on Shea. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the broth on the stove sluggishly boiling; each bubble taking seconds to breach the surface and pop.

“You’re… using your magic,” Hythlodaeus observed.

“I wanted to make sure we weren’t interrupted,” Shea replied, strolling up to him. “There is still the question of my payment.”

“I-I-I thought I asked you to deliver it to the restaurant…” Came the response while Hythlodaeus backed into the counter behind him. 

Shea smirked. He continued his approach until they stood toe-to-toe. Hythlodaeus bent backwards in an attempt to crane away, but Shea leaned forward; his dark gaze locked on him. This close, the purple-haired man could see the tired lines beneath the other man’s eyes.

“You did,” he conceded, “but you seemed so _ adamant _ last night that you repay me for the information. I wanted to make sure I capitalized on it.”

The other man tilted his head to one side while his eyes studied Hythlodaeus’ face. If he didn’t know better, he would think Shea was staring into his soul, but of the man’s many talents, the Sight was not one of them. He shifted ever-so-slightly beneath the watchful gaze and tried to ignore the familiar scent of Shea’s cologne—especially the painful way it mingled with the lingering scent of his sweet coffee and the memories— 

“When you said ‘anything’, Daeus, did you mean it? I could ask for _ anything _ as my payment?”

The question interrupted his thoughts and stabbed into his heart. For a moment, Hythlodaeus regretted his choice of words—even if they had been spoken to help his lovers. Guilt rose in his throat, strangling his response and forcing him to reluctantly nod. Surely Hades and Eudora would forgive him. 

It was for _ them _, after all. So he could see them smile once more.

Hear them _ laugh _ once more…

Shea rested his hands atop the counter on either side of Hythlodaeus. His taunting smirk lazily widened into an unreadable grin. When he spoke, his voice was a low murmur that reverberated in Hythlodaeus’ ears. The purple-haired man closed his eyes as he awaited the verdict.

“In that case, I have decided. You will repay me…” Shea began slowly. “By being with the lovers that you chose and being _ happy _.”

His eyes snapped open to stare at the slightly shorter man.

“What?”

“You heard me!” Shea nearly shouted, straightening up and crossing his arms. “After all the trouble I went through to get that information, you better _ damn _ well be happy that I saved your lovers! Half my supply of my _ favorite _ gin—gone! Gone to a desert nomad who wouldn’t know the difference between it and _ spiked well water _ ! If you want to repay me, Daeus, then you better be _ happy _ that you have them back!”

Hythlodaeus’ heart pounded in his chest as the meaning of Shea’s words washed over him. 

“You… you traded your own stock for—”

“Don’t remind me,” Shea scoffed and took a few steps back. “That’s why I hope you don’t make me regret it over the next century or so while I slowly get it back.” 

Tears welled up in Hythlodaeus’ eyes. He wrapped his arms around Shea in a tight hug that nearly lifted the blond off the ground. At first, he was met with hesitation, but then the other man returned the gesture in a loose hug and a pat on the back.

“Thank you, Shea,” he whispered. “I’ll find a way to help you recover what you paid.”

A sigh and a soft chuckle. One of Shea’s hands cupped his cheek as he pulled away just enough to smirk at Hythlodaeus.

“As long as that’s what makes you happy, you’re free to do it. So… get to it, old friend.”

A blink and Shea was gone. The bubbles in the pot on the stove popped and danced on the liquid. Aristotelis’ and Lukos’ voices returned to normal from their bickering in the bedroom over the concept. The only sign that Shea had been there was the lingering scent of his cologne and the empty cup on the counter.

Just as the sound of the arguing men died down, Hythlodaeus sensed Hades gently tug on the bond for his attention. A simple question came through in his lover’s voice.

_ What’s… going on..? _

He sounded exhausted—even more so than usual. It was, however, the first time Hades had spoken through the bond since his return. Tears spilled down his cheeks as his relief flooded into the connection with his lover. If Hades was recovering, then…

Hythlodaeus rushed to be with his lovers and wait for Eudora to wake.


End file.
